Navigating Cultural Stress and Mental Health: A Longitudinal Study of Parent-Adolescent Dynamics Among Former Soviet Union Families

Introduction: Cultural stressors during migration can shape family dynamics and impact mental health outcomes. This study investigates the relationship between cultural stress, parent-adolescent communication, and psychological well-being among Former Soviet Union (FSU) immigrant families in Israel. Methods: This longitudinal survey study collected data at three time points. The first wave of data collection occurred between June and August 2020, recruiting families across Israel through social media, word-of-mouth, and referrals. Analyses were conducted on a final sample of 160 FSU immigrant adolescents (aged 12–15) and their parents, after accounting for attrition across waves. We used maximum likelihood estimation so that cases with missing data could be retained in analysis. Surveys assessed cultural stressors, parent-adolescent communication, and mental health indicators (self-esteem, hope, anxiety, and depressive symptoms). Results: Cultural distance was negatively associated with parental depressive symptoms but did not result in expected negative effects on adolescents. Parent-adolescent communication at Time 2 mediated the relationship between cultural stress and adolescent well-being. Additionally, discrimination experiences at Time 1 were positively associated with adolescents’ hope at Time 3. Conclusions: Despite the challenges posed by cultural stress, parent-adolescent communication emerged as a protective factor, and was associated with lower levels of mental health issues. These findings highlight the importance of familial communication to support the well-being of immigrant adolescents during acculturation.