Communication Faculty and Chauncey M. Depew Endowed Associate Professor, Dr. YoungJu Shin, recently had her research article titled "Effects of acculturation stress and identity gaps on Mexican-heritage adolescent depressive symptoms and substance use behavior" published in the Communication Monographs journal.
In their paper, Dr. Shin and colleague Megan Stephenson explore how children of immigrant families often experience acculturation stress as they navigate their roles as cultural brokers, leading to negative health outcomes according to Communication Theory of Identity (CTI). Investigating Mexican-heritage adolescents, they found that acculturation stress directly affects identity gaps, particularly in personal-enacted and personal-relational layers, which in turn indirectly impact depressive symptoms, highlighting the significance of identity dynamics in understanding mental health outcomes in immigrant communities.
To read the full research paper, click here. To learn more about Dr. Shin and her research, read her biography here.