Multigenerational postmigratory psychological adaptationexploring the case of migrant families in sant roc

Abstract

Background: Due to the increased migratory waves entering Spain from Morocco, Pakistan, China, and Latin America (Finotelli ; Rinken, 2023), it is all the more important to understand the process of adaptation and integration into the local culture, through understanding migrants' experiences of the practical and emotional details of the complex process of arrival, identifying the supports that contribute to their transition and their mental health (Ryan et al., 2008) throughout the process, specifically for children growing up in an environment with multiple risk factors (Belhadj et al., 2015). Objectives: Describe the emotional experience of migrant parents and children under the different protective and risk factors in their current environments. Place of study: Fundación Ateneu Sant Roc in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain. Methodology: The study is a qualitative exploration of the lived experiences of migrant families, searching for commonalities in the emotional responses after migrating and through the process of adaptation, specifically the impact on children's lives in their unique current neighborhood of Sant Roc. The face-to-face semi-structured interviews were designed to cover questions from demographic information, migration history, physical and mental health, education, experiences of racism, and family dynamics. Through connecting with the Fundación Ateneu Sant Roc, located in a neighborhood with a high percentage of migrant population, the interviews were conducted with families - a parent and a child from 17 families of multiple origins. Results: The families in this sample migrated in stages, going through periods of family transnationality, settling into the neighborhood of Sant Roc, and connecting with the Ateneu Foundation due to needs arising from postmigration challenges such as childcare, academic support, and language support. Several risk factors were identified including low socioeconomic status, family transnationality, bullying, low parental education, academic difficulties, discrimination, language barriers, acculturation stress, unavailable parents, and conflict with parents. In contrast, the protective factors identified were teacher support, positive family relationships, access to government aid, women's freedoms, informal community informational channels, and friendships with peers. Additionally, the study identified migrants' experiences and challenges living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Migrants move to Catalonia looking for economic opportunities, academic opportunities, and better futures for their daughters. Although they find these, they are not without obstacles and challenges, that can be eased to provide an easier adaptation practically and emotionally. Providing multifaceted external support like the Ateneu Foundation - to the family will be highly important to the adaptation of migrant parents and children, who face an additional amount of risk factors, especially in areas with high crime rates and poverty like the neighborhoods where migrant families commonly settle in. Keywords: migration, families, mental health, adaptation, emotional experience