Life and psychosocial terms of migrant children in northwest Mexico

Abstract

In order to compare the mental health of migrant and sedentary children, the population was defined by 358 migrants children from the state of Guerrero between 9 to 13 years traveling with her parents to technology-intensive irrigation fields crops in northwest Mexico and compared with 150 children sedentary matched with its neighbors and friends, residents of the municipality of Acatlán, Guerrero, Mexico. The measurements were: anxiety scale for children – revised, depression questionnaire for children, and the inventory of childhood stress. The results of factor analysis are consistent dimensions and factor weights greater than .35. Findings indicate that 20% of migrant children had anxiety, 10.6% had depression, and 41.3% reported stress levels above the healthy range. The comparative analysis shows that migrant children are at greater risk of suffering from anxiety, depression and stress.