Perceived discrimination and mental health of South American immigrants in Chile: the mediator role of the self-esteem in four nationalities

ABSTRACT

Most international immigrants have mental health problems because of perceived discrimination. This research aims to analyze the possible mediating role of self-esteem in the impact of perceived discrimination on the mental health problems of the four most extensive South American immigrant nationalities in Chile. It involved 772 immigrants who have been living in this country for longer than a year. The results indicate that self-esteem would play a mediating role in two nationalities. We conclude by considering the importance and implications of self-esteem as a variable for intervention from social work in the immigration field.

KEYWORDS:

• Mediation analysis
• mental health
• perceived discrimination
• south-south migration

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Universidad de Tarapacá [Proyecto UTA-MAYOR N° 6716-17].