EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL-PROBLEMS AND COMPETENCES AMONG IMMIGRANT ANDNON-IMMIGRANT ADOLESCENTS

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare levels of emotional an d behavioural problems and competencies among immigrant and non-immigr ant adolescents, and to determine factors that may contribute to any d ifferences reported. Method: Subjects were selected randomly from stud ents aged 12-16 years attending a high school with a high proportion o f immigrants in Perth, Western Australia. Parents completed the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), and students completed the Youth Self-Repo rt (YSR) and a Personal History Questionnaire. Results: On univariate analyses, non-immigrant adolescents had significantly higher CBCL and YSR scores than immigrant adolescents. Multivariate analyses suggested that CBCL scores were predicted by a number of variables other than i mmigration, including family intactness, socioeconomic status (SES) an d gender. Higher YSR scores were predicted by non-intact families, sch ool setting and non-immigrant status, and higher competencies scores w ere predicted by higher SES and parents not being immigrants. Conclusi ons: In assessing the effects of immigration on adolescent mental heal th, it is important to control for factors associated with adolescent behavioural and emotional problems and to use multiple informants. Ove rall, immigrant adolescents report fewer total and externalising probl ems and fewer competencies than native-born adolescents. This finding may reflect strict immigration policies or cultural differences in def initions of psychopathology and the social expectations for adolescent s' behaviour.