From Undocumented to Lawfully Present: Do Changes to Legal Status Impact Psychological Wellbeing among Latino Immigrant Young Adults? Caitlin Patler (Affiliate in Sociology)
Exclusionary immigration policies have led to a sizeable
undocumented population that is largely barred from access to
resources in the United States, however there is little research
that looks at the impact of legal status on immigrants’
psychological wellbeing.
In this study, Caitlin Patler and Whitney Laster Pirtle draw
on cross-sectional survey data of 487 Latino immigrant young
adults in California to assess outcomes related to immigrants’
psychological wellbeing before and after a transition from
undocumented to legally present status. Results show that reports
of past psychological wellness were predicted primarily by
socioeconomic status, whereas current psychological wellness was
predicted by DACA status.
Caitlin Patler is Associate Professor of Sociology at UC
Davis. Dr. Patler’s research explores citizenship and
legal status as axes of stratification that shape
opportunities for mobility. She is currently conducting
longitudinal mixed-methods research on the impacts of
long-term immigration detention and on the Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Dr. Patler received her
Ph.D.
