Abstract
Objectives
We sought to examine the burden and correlates of depression and anxiety among Ethiopian and Eritrean American emerging adults. African immigrants and their children constitute a large and growing proportion of the Black population but are largely overlooked in research focusing on either Black or immigrant youth. As they transition to adulthood, youth of Ethiopian and Eritrean origin must navigate a multitude of challenges including the impacts of traumatic immigration experiences, acculturation, racism, and discrimination.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional survey study with N = 200 youth (ages 18–25 years) in Atlanta, GA, in 2022–2023. The 287-item self-administered online survey included measures of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, sociodemographic indicators, and stressor- and resilience-related constructs. We conducted descriptive statistical analysis and estimated multivariate logistic regression models to determine factors associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Results
Forty-nine percent (49.2%) of the sample endorsed depressive symptoms above the threshold for clinical significance, and 57.4% of the sample met symptom criteria for either mild, moderate, or severe anxiety. In adjusted logistic regression analyses, adverse immigration experience (OR 5.45; 95%CI 1.55–19.14), fear of failure (OR 9.15; 95% CI 1.32–63.59), and discrimination (OR 1.48; 95%CI1.07–2.06) were significantly associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms. Higher food security (OR 0.20; 95%CI 0.05–0.85) and normal (OR 0.18; 95%CI 0.06–0.58) or high (OR 0.09; 95% CI 0.01–0.66) levels of resilience were associated with a lower likelihood of depression. Fear of failure (OR 7.34; 95%CI 1.67–32.2) and discrimination (OR 1.68; 95%CI 1.14–2.46) were associated with higher odds of anxiety symptoms, and normal (OR 0.21; 95% CI 0.06–0.68) or high (OR 0.12; 95%CI 0.02–0.77) levels of resilience were associated with lower odds of anxiety.
Conclusions
Stressors related to immigration and discrimination were associated with depression and anxiety among Ethiopian and Eritrean American emerging adults. Our findings point to a role for resilience-supporting interventions with cultural tailoring to address the unique needs of this growing demographic.
