UCLA

Contemporary empirical studies tend to support the assertion that acculturation is an important correlate of mental health among immigrants. Foreign-born Asians and Latinos have significant mental health advantages, such as lower rates of depression and anxiety, compared to their U.S.-born counterparts. This phenomenon has been referred to as the “immigrant paradox,” where foreign nativity serves as a protective factor against psychiatric disorders, despite the stresses often associated with immigrating and settling into a new country.

However, relatively few empirical studies have examined suicidal behavior among Asians and Latinos as it relates to acculturation, and results have been mixed. Given that suicidal ideation and suicide attempts are strongly associated with suicide death, better understanding the relationship between acculturation and suicidal behavior can offer some insight into the demographic patterns of suicide.

Using Joiner’s interpersonal theory of suicide, this study utilized pooled data from the 2011-2014 California Health Interview Surveys, a population-based, random-digit dial telephone survey representative of California’s households. The analysis, based on interviews with 17,502 Latinos and 7,738 Asian adults over the age of 18, investigated variations in suicidal proclivity among Asian and Latino adults as predicted by three acculturation measures, proportion of life spent in the U.S., English fluency, and generational status, after adjusting for sociodemographic and psychiatric variables. Analysis of weighted lifetime prevalence of suicidal behaviors revealed significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics and acculturation patterns at both the racial and ethnic subgroup level. Multivariate logistic regression analyses also revealed significant heterogeneity between and among racial groups with respect to acculturation. Risk for suicidal behaviors increased with acculturation for both Asians and Latinos, but was not shown to be significant for Koreans or South Americans.

The findings of this study underscore the need to disaggregate racial data when making inferences about suicidal behavior. Clinical interventions and public health efforts should be focused at the ethnic subgroup level and should consider the impact of culture and acculturation on mental health outcomes.