- T1 immigration-related stressors predicted T1 to T2 increases in sleep problems (β = .12) and internalising symptoms (β = .09).
- T2 sleep problems mediated links from T1 immigration stressors to T2 to T3 increases; indirect effects were small but statistically significant.
- Sleep problems and internalising symptoms were reciprocally associated across waves; many adolescents reported <7 hours sleep and high clinical internalising prevalence.
J Adolesc Health. 2026 Oct 17:S1054-139X(26)00355-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2026.08.015. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This research examines how contextual stress exposure within the immigration environment predicts sleep problems and internalizing symptoms for Latino/a adolescents.
METHODS: Participants included N = 547 adolescents listed as “Hispanic” on 2017-18 middle school enrollment lists in a suburban Atlanta, GA, school district. Using three time (T) points of survey data (2021-23), structural equation models tested paths from immigration-related stressors to changes in sleep problems and internalizing symptoms. Missing data were addressed using multiply imputed datasets and full information maximum likelihood.
RESULTS: At T1, the 244 (44.6%) male and 303 (55.4%) female participants had a mean (SD) age of 16.2 (.91) years. Across time, 28.8%-40.3% of youth reported <7 hours of sleep on average. The prevalence of clinical internalizing symptoms ranged from 31.1% to 35.9% for female participants and from 29.9% to 44.3% for male participants. T1 immigration-related stressors predicted T1 to T2 increases in sleep problems (ß = .12 [95% CI = .03-.20]) and internalizing symptoms (ß = .09 [95% CI = .01-.17]). T2 sleep problems mediated associations between T1 immigration-related stressors and T2 to T3 increases in internalizing symptoms (indirect effect: ß = .01 [95% CI = .00-.03]) and sleep problems (indirect effect: ß = .07 [95% CI = .02-.12]). Sleep problems and internalizing symptoms were reciprocally associated from T1 to T2 (sleep to internalizing: ß = .11 [95% CI = .02-.20]; internalizing to sleep: ß = .14 [95% CI = .04-.25]) and from T2 to T3 (sleep to internalizing: ß = .11 [95% CI = .03-.20]; internalizing to sleep: ß = .10 [95% CI = .00-.20]).
DISCUSSION: For Latino/a adolescents, immigration-related stressors may harm mental health through increased sleep problems.
PMID:42893442 | DOI:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2026.08.015
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