Objectives
The number of youth who migrate alone to the United States is growing at an alarming rate, with the highest number of minors arriving in 2016 in the past decade. Unaccompanied minors (UMs) are separate from the refugee process and continue to arrive, despite the government’s allocation of refugees into the United States. The majority of youth crosses the border from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, and many experience physical, sexual, and emotional abuse during migration. Knowledge on the traumas that this hidden, although expanding, group of youth experience, as well as the interventions, clinical services, and policies that can benefit these youth, will be discussed.
Methods
1) A systematic review of 22 qualitative and quantitative studies pertaining to the mental health of UMs will be presented; and 2) data regarding the interventions and services of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) will be discussed to provide an overview of the systems of care and interventions currently in place for unaccompanied minors.
Results
Current research involving this population includes an emphasis on the assessment of PTSD, showing a higher level of PTSD symptoms compared with accompanied refugee minors. Studies also showed that age and female gender influence PTSD symptoms. The ORR is mandated with providing mental health services, case management, housing, and family reunification services for these youths and has difficulty managing the high mental health needs of UMs and the shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists who are experienced with the unique needs of this population.
Conclusions
UMs are a growing population of the US youth, who are difficult to access and engage in research. Therefore, additional research is needed that includes the analysis of mental health issues besides PTSD, longitudinal or long-term outcomes, as well as coping skills and resilient mechanisms at the individual and community/policy levels. Moreover, culturally appropriate methods and approaches will assist in better understanding the true experience of these youth. Child and adolescent psychiatrists who are experienced and comfortable working with this population are greatly needed at the national level.