Culture and stress biology in immigrant youth from the prenatal period to adolescence: A systematic review

Abstract

Immigration patterns over the last two decades have changed the demographic composition of the United States; children are growing up in an increasingly multicultural environment. Immigrant youth may face culture-related stressors and leverage culture-related strengths across development that may influence their mental and physical health. Responses to early life stressors may differ across children at the level of stress biology, which can affect how they handle cultural challenges. However, there is limited research on culture and stress biology, which may be a mediator or moderator of culture's effects on immigrant youth. The aim of the present article is to systematically review research that examines the roles of both culture and stress biology from the prenatal period to adolescence in immigrant youth. Specifically, we review articles that examine how stress-sensitive biological systems (hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis and the autonomic nervous system) and culture-related constructs have been modeled together in immigrant youth. Based on these findings, we note remaining questions and recommendations for future research in integrating measures of cultural processes and stress biology in children.

Keywords: HPA axis; acculturation; autonomic nervous system; immigrant.

Figure 1:

A theoretical framework guiding the study of how stress biology and culture influence immigrant youth adjustment outcomes, derived from the integrative risk and resilience model, the biological sensitivity to context framework, and stress and coping theory

Figure 2:

PRISMA flow diagram of the conducted search for relevant studies