Abstract
This qualitative and quantitative research aimed to elicit experiences and gather data on depressive symptoms of undocumented Mexican immigrants, residing in Winters, CA and San Francisco, CA, as influenced by their immigration experience. The undocumented Mexican immigrant experience brings forth many challenges including acculturation, poverty and financial hardship as a driving factor, discrimination in the United States, and mental health distress. These challenges increase the risk of the identified population developing a mental disorder. Researchers utilized a snow-ball sampling method to identify participants who had immigrated to Winters, CA and San Francisco, CA, from diverse regions of Mexico. The researchers identified seven participants. The subjects completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Rating Scale (CES-D) in order to assess for depressive symptomatology, as well as to participate in a 14-item interview. The findings revealed that this sample of undocumented Mexican immigrants in San Francisco, CA and Winters, CA, struggle with the pursuit of economic stability, leaving family behind, sacrifices made for a better future, hopes of legalization, and experiences with discrimination. These themes along with the score from the CES-D scale point its effects on participants' mental health. This project hopes to inform those providing services to undocumented immigrants so that there may be a better understanding of the culture and of the ramifications on mental health.