IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v139y2022ics0190740922001669.html

Mobilizing communities and families for child mental health promotion in Canada: Views of African immigrants

Author

Listed:
  • Alaazi, Dominic A.
  • Salami, Bukola
  • Gabriel Ojakovo, Oghenevwarho
  • Nsaliwa, Christina
  • Okeke-Ihejirika, Philomina
  • Salma, Jordana
  • Islam, Bonnieca

Abstract

Available evidence in Canada suggests mental health disparities between immigrant and non-immigrant children. Children born to immigrants face a greater risk of poor mental health outcomes. However, these comparisons often mask important ethno-racial differences in mental health risks and outcomes among immigrant populations. Recent evidence suggests African immigrant children have some of the poorest social and mental health outcomes in Canada. Despite this awareness, research has yet to identify community-based strategies for addressing the stressors underpinning such outcomes. This study used data obtained from focus groups with African immigrant parents in Alberta, Canada, to identify child mental health stressors and child mental health promotion strategies in the African immigrant community. These strategies, thematically partitioned into family-, community-, and structural-level interventions, include building supportive parent–child relationships, strengthening resilience in childhood, economic empowerment of families, destigmatizing mental illness, influencing institutional policies and practices, supporting labour integration, and enhancing access to mental health supports. Ways in which policymakers and service providers can support child mental health promotion efforts in the African immigrant community are also discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Alaazi, Dominic A. & Salami, Bukola & Gabriel Ojakovo, Oghenevwarho & Nsaliwa, Christina & Okeke-Ihejirika, Philomina & Salma, Jordana & Islam, Bonnieca, 2022. "Mobilizing communities and families for child mental health promotion in Canada: Views of African immigrants," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:139:y:2022:i:c:s0190740922001669
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106530
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740922001669
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106530?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. De Luca, Susan M. & Yueqi, Yan & Padilla, Yolanda, 2017. "A longitudinal examination of how mothers' and fathers' mental health and thoughts of death are related to their child's self-reported levels of parental connectedness," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 235-241.
    2. Jing Guo & Xuezhu Ren & Xiaohua Wang & Zhiyong Qu & Qianyun Zhou & Chun Ran & Xia Wang & Juan Hu, 2015. "Depression among Migrant and Left-Behind Children in China in Relation to the Quality of Parent-Child and Teacher-Child Relationships," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(12), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Ungar, Michael, 2011. "Community resilience for youth and families: Facilitative physical and social capital in contexts of adversity," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1742-1748, September.
    4. Vibha Kaushik & Julie Drolet, 2018. "Settlement and Integration Needs of Skilled Immigrants in Canada," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-14, May.
    5. Lippold, Melissa A. & Jensen, Todd M., 2017. "Harnessing the strength of families to prevent social problems and promote adolescent well-being," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 432-441.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. García-Poole, Chloe & Byrne, Sonia & Rodrigo, María José, 2019. "How do communities intervene with adolescents at psychosocial risk? A systematic review of positive development programs," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 194-209.
    2. Shinto Joseph & Sheeja Remani B. Karalam & Jasmine Mathew, 2024. "Social Work Intervention Research in Child Sponsorship Programs: Enhancing Psychological Well-being of Marginalized Adolescents," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(4), pages 21582440241, December.
    3. Mohammad M. H. Raihan & Nashit Chowdhury & Tanvir C. Turin, 2023. "Low Job Market Integration of Skilled Immigrants in Canada: The Implication for Social Integration and Mental Well-Being," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-13, March.
    4. Charles Gyan & Batholomew Chireh & Noelle Chuks-Eboka & Ata Senior Yeboah, 2023. "Reconsidering the Conceptualization of Resilience: The Experiences of Refugee and Immigrant Youth in Montreal," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(4), pages 1591-1615, August.
    5. Yan Wu & Yufei Zhang & Shiya Lin & Dandan Xie & Guangmei Huang & Baoxin Zhou, 2025. "Teacher Emotional Support and Academic Outcomes of Migrant Children in Urban China: A Qualitative Study," English Language Teaching, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 18(11), pages 181-181, November.
    6. Xiaoxiao Li & Dongyang Zhou & Taixiang Duan & Shuijing Xu, 2023. "Parental Migration, Social Relationships, and Left-Behind Adolescents’ Mental Health in Rural China: Examining Gender Differences," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(5), pages 2795-2828, October.
    7. Jason Hung, 2020. "Internal Migration in Chinese Cities: An Exploration of Youths’ Experiences of Delinquency," Asian Social Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 16(2), pages 1-1, February.
    8. Glassgow, Anne Elizabeth & Gerges, Michael & Martin, Molly A. & Estrada, Isela & Issa, Zahra & Lapin, Katerine & Morell, Laura & Solis, Nitza & Van Voorhees, Benjamin & Risser, Heather J., 2018. "Integration of mental health services into an innovative health care delivery model for children with chronic conditions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 144-151.
    9. Yang, Ning & Qi, Yanan & Lu, Jinjin & Hu, Jiangbo & Ren, Yonggang, 2021. "Teacher-child relationships, self-concept, resilience, and social withdrawal among Chinese left-behind children: A moderated mediation model," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    10. Louise Lynch & Anne Moorhead & Maggie Long & Isobel Hawthorne-Steele, 2025. "“You Have the Choice of Whether You’re Going to Get Help or Attempt Suicide”: Exploring the Process and Impact of Mental Health Help-Seeking with Young People (16–25 Years)," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-28, August.
    11. Juan Sebastian Olier & Camilla Spadavecchia, 2022. "Stereotypes, disproportions, and power asymmetries in the visual portrayal of migrants in ten countries: an interdisciplinary AI-based approach," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-16, December.
    12. Odessa Gonzalez Benson & Fatemeh Kazemi & Katerina Palova & Anusha Kassan, 2025. "Digital Supports for Immigrant Professionals’ Settlement and Information Needs: Developing a Wiki-Style Tool with Intersectional, Targeted Content," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 101-125, March.
    13. Marina Morgenshtern, 2019. "“My Family’s Weight on My Shoulders”: Experiences of Jewish Immigrant Women from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in Toronto," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-23, March.
    14. Magnus Helgesson & Maria Brendler-Lindqvist & Bo Johansson & Tobias Nordquist & Martin Tondel & Magnus Svartengren, 2022. "Sustainable Earnings among Immigrants, and the Role of Health Status for Self-Sufficiency: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study of Labour Immigrants and Refugees to Sweden 2000–2006," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-15, December.
    15. Yiwei Zhang & Ning He & Yanfeng Xu, 2023. "Parenting and Adolescents’ Subjective Psychological Well-Being: Does Immigration Background Matter?," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(4), pages 1709-1732, August.
    16. Zhihan Dai & Guochun Wu, 2025. "Disaster risk reduction policies and perceived community resilience in rural ethnic minority communities in China," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    17. Theron, Linda C. & Theron, Adam M.C., 2014. "Education services and resilience processes: Resilient Black South African students' experiences," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(P3), pages 297-306.
    18. Huajun Wu & Zhiyong Cai & Qing Yan & Yi Yu & Ning Neil Yu, 2021. "The Impact of Childhood Left-Behind Experience on the Mental Health of Late Adolescents: Evidence from Chinese College Freshmen," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-12, March.
    19. Hargreaves, Margaret B. & Verbitsky-Savitz, Natalya & Coffee-Borden, Brandon & Perreras, Lexie & White, Catherine Roller & Pecora, Peter J. & Morgan, Geoffrey B. & Barila, Theresa & Ervin, Andi & Case, 2017. "Advancing the measurement of collective community capacity to address adverse childhood experiences and resilience," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 142-153.
    20. Silvia Marcu, 2025. "‘It’s Time For Us To Fly’: Proactive Resilience to Overcome Precariousness – Post-Pandemic Opportunities for Mobility Among Spanish Postgraduates," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(3), pages 21582440251, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:139:y:2022:i:c:s0190740922001669. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.