Undocumented college students have a much higher level of anxiety than the population at large, likely caused by a unique set of challenges they face as a result of their legal status.
Concerns related to finances, fear of deportation and a sense of isolation weigh heavily on undocumented students, according to a study released today from the Institute for Immigration, Globalization and Education at the University of California at Los Angeles.
In the survey of undocumented undergraduates, 28.5 percent of male and 36.7 percent of female participants reported a level of anxiety that was above the clinical cut-off for generalized anxiety disorder, which means a moderate or severe level of anxiety. That’s compared to 4 percent and 9 percent from a sample of the general population.
Undocumented students have been marginalized and neglected and their potential is under-realized, the study's authors write.
"There's a very real chance that administrators in question have no idea what (undocumented students) go through," one survey respondent said. "None at all."
Read more at Inside Higher Ed: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/01/26/study-finds-undocumented-colleges-students-face-unique-challenges