4 - (SYM 104) Exploring the Mental Health Needs of Undocumented College Students

Undocumented college students show high rates of stress, anxiety, depression, identity conflict, and a weak sense of belonging, while navigating political uncertainty and higher education (Cadenas, & Nienhusser, 2021). However, they tend to use mental health services at lower rates than other students (Cha et al., 2019). Peers can encourage mental health help-seeking in college campuses as peer are the first person a student in distress goes to (Walther et al., 2014). Peers can be trained to deliver workshops tailored to the mental health needs of undocumented students. By having shared identities, undocumented peers can promote collective self-esteem—strengthening students’ self-worth by helping students develop a strong appreciation for their intersectional identities (e.g., undocumented, racial, ethnic, gender), which can buffer against undocumented-related stressors and increase mental health.
In the present study, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 undocumented participants to understand the mental health service needs using peer to peer models. Participants were engaging in a study abroad program that facilitated a return to their native countries. All participants identified as Latinas, 11 identified as heterosexual, 1 as bisexual, and age ranged from 22-35 years of age.

Charmaz’s grounded theory is being used to understand mental health of undocumented individuals needs and potential solutions including the use of peer-to-peer models. Preliminary qualitative themes point to: (1) stigma around mental health (2) mistrust of therapist due to the perceived lack of immigration knowledge, and (3) the potential for peer models to enhance access to care. Implications for building peer delivered interventions based on cognitive behavioral practices will be discussed.