Examining trauma, PTSD, other mental disorders and healthcare patterns during early parenthood: the role of immigrant status, identity, and social support
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The transition to early parenthood is a period of heightened psychological risk, yet immigrant generational differences remain underexamined. Using the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions–III (NESARC-III), this study analyzed new parents with a child <5 years (n= 4,129) to test associations between immigrant generational status (IGS; first-, second-, third+/U.S.-born) with (a) trauma exposure, (b) PTSD and any other lifetime mental/substance use disorder (MD/SUD), and (c) mental healthcare utilization among those with a lifetime MD/SUD. Survey-weighted logistic regressions adjusted for sociodemographic correlates. Interactions with racial discrimination, ethnic identity, social support, and sex were probed. First-generation parents had lower odds than third+ of trauma (AOR= 0.50, p < .001), PTSD (AOR= 0.35, p < .001), and any MD/SUD (AOR= 0.29, p < .001); second-generation estimates were generally comparable to third+. Sexual assault odds were lower for first- and second-generation than third+. Racial discrimination was positively associated with PTSD in all IGS groups (AOR range 2.10-4.94; all p’s < .001). Social support was protective for any trauma and any MD/SUD among third+ only; ethnic identity did not significantly moderate trauma or any MD/SUD by IGS. Across service types, first-generation parents showed lower utilization than third+ (AOR range 0.21-0.34, all p’s <.001). Findings support a “healthy immigrant” pattern for disorder prevalence, but reveal pronounced under-utilization of mental healthcare services among first-generation parents. Results highlight the need to identify and address concrete access barriers to improve engagement with mental-health services during early parenthood.
Source: Mspace (University of Manitoba)
Author: Muthumuni, Nisali
Language: English
Topic: Migration, Health and Trauma
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7137649259