Immigrant-origin minors may face challenges that are burdensome to their mental health. This dissertation investigates whether there is a mental health disparity between immigrant-origin and the majority population non-immigrant minors in Finland, with an aim to identify key risk factors and psychosocial resources linked with mental health among this population. The population-based School Health Promotion Studies (2017–2023) and the Youth Future Report 2023 were the data investigated in the five part-studies of this dissertation.
Rekar Abdulhamed
University of Helsinki
Dissertationes Universitatis Helsingiensis 167/2025
Permanent link: https://helda.helsinki.fi/items/0d4238b0-d83c-449b-a71d-067bd8907954
The first study found that over a fourth of first-generation immigrant adolescents reported depressive symptoms above the critical level, and almost a fourth reported moderate to severe generalized anxiety. Second-generation immigrant-origin adolescents (18 % and 16.5 %) and the majority population adolescents (13 % and 11 %) reported these symptoms less frequently. Perceived discrimination was a key risk factor, particularly for first-generation immigrants, while good parental relations were a key psychosocial resource.
The second study highlighted that an overall sense of belonging was a key psychosocial resource linked with mental health, especially among first-generation forced migrant adolescents. High belongingness also mitigated the negative link of discrimination on depressive and anxiety symptoms, acting as a protective factor.
The third study examined depressive symptoms and linked factors in the school environment among preadolescents in 4th and 5th grades of primary school. Sense of school belonging was the most important protective factor, while being bullied was the most significant risk factor, followed by literacy challenges. Positive school experiences were more strongly associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms among majority population children, whereas negative school experiences were more strongly associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, particularly among children of immigrant origin.
The fourth study investigated the mental health disparity of middle school male and female adolescents, and the role of teachers’ support and school belonging as psychosocial resources. The mental health disparity was found larger between immigrant-origin and majority population males than between immigrant-origin and majority population females. Teacher support was protective for all immigrant-origin adolescents, except second-generation females. Sense of school belonging acted as a protective factor among forced immigrants. While sense of school belonging was more important for the mental health of majority population youth, teacher support was more important among immigrant-origin youth.
In the fifth study, a short acculturation scale was developed and validated. Host acculturation orientation was linked with better self-esteem among established, and ethnic orientation among recent immigrant-origin youth. Most of the youth had an integrative acculturation strategy, linked with higher self-esteem, sense of belonging and less perceived discrimination.
To summarize, immigrant-origin children and youth are at risk of exhibiting mental health symptoms, specifically when they a) are discriminated/bullied, b) feel that they cannot discuss personal matters with their parents c) have low sense of belonging, and d) experience a lack of teacher support. To promote and protect their mental health, relationships in their microsystems should be at focus (parents, teachers, peers). Despite the risks mentioned, this dissertation also shows that most young people of immigrant origin are doing relatively well in Finland.
