Associations between trauma exposure and symptoms of depression and anxiety among first, second, and later-generation immigrant college students

Objective: This study examined how prior trauma relates to depression and anxiety symptoms among 713 college students across generational immigrant groups – first-, second-, and “later”-generation. Methods: Participants completed the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 and reported bereavement, social support, and trauma exposure. Results: Symptoms of depression and anxiety were similar across generational groups, though predictors varied. Among first-generation students, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scores (β = .35, p < .001), age (β = −.30, p < .001), social support (β = −.28, p < .001), and recent bereavement (β = .14, p = .036) significantly predicted depression, explaining 26% of variance; age (β = −.27), ACE scores (β = .28), and social support (β = −.21) predicted anxiety (20% variance explained). For second-generation students, social support (β = −.27, p < .001) was the strongest depression predictor, alongside ACE scores (β = .27, p < .001), trauma exposure (β = .14, p = .008), and male gender (β = −.13, p = .007), explaining 25% of variance; ACE scores (β = .26), social support (β = −.20), trauma exposure (β = .11), and male gender (β = −.10) predicted anxiety (16% variance explained). For later-generation participants, ACE scores (β = .23, p = .025), social support (β = −.18, p = .034), and Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity (β = .16, p = .048) predicted depression (11% variance); ACE scores (β = .30, p = .003) and Black ethnicity (β = −.18, p = .027) predicted anxiety (13% variance). Social support was negatively associated with depression and anxiety across most groups. Conclusions: Adverse childhood experiences are key predictors of depression and anxiety symptoms in immigrant students, though other predictors vary by subgroup. These findings underscore the necessity of considering generational context when addressing mental health in immigrant populations and that interventions should prioritize trauma-informed, culturally sensitive approaches.