Wives left behind in Mexico by migrants suffer 'poorer mental health'

Mexican women left behind by husbands who migrate to the United States in search of work were one of the focuses of the documentary "Los Que Se Quedan," or "Those Who Remain," by Carlos Hagerman and Juan Carlos Rulfo, which we've mentioned a number of times here on La Plaza.

In response to those posts, Jared Wilkerson, one of the authors of a recent study on that subject, got in touch with us about the findings he recently made with his colleagues at Brigham Young University.

The study, called "Effects of Husbands’ Migration on Mental Health and Gender Role Ideology of Rural Mexican Women," found that those women generally have a poorer state of mental health than a comparison group. The study attributes this condition largely to the nontraditional gender roles that are forced upon the women because of their husbands' absence.

As Wilkerson explained to us via e-mail:

"For most of the women, a shift in ideology comes as a necessity, not a choice. This necessity is brought on when their husbands leave and their duties of livelihood and community representation increase. As the women see themselves doing things traditionally associated with male success — which happens to be the most visible form and baseline of success, they begin to think such success is right and proper for both men and women. This newfound ideology does not die when husbands return.

"When a woman holding this nontraditional ideology is surrounded by society, culture, location or other circumstances that are contrary to that ideology, it may be more difficult for her to act upon or even feel comfortable with the ideology."

And how does he think this can contribute to the immigration debate now raging in the United States?

"Americans should not see this study as a call to 'seal our borders' from the 'evil aliens' in order to keep alien families together. That would likely be less of a solution to the problem of women’s mental suffering, especially in places where farming is not a perennial option like the ranchos, because men would likely become frustrated and agitated with their inability to provide for their families. This agitation would surely lead to familial suffering.

"In the long run, if labor is allowed to flow freely and safely across the border to satisfy demand in the United States, then women who care about their husbands’ well-being will be less anxious for their safety. Further, the free and safe flow of labor would allow families to plan when and for how long forays into the United States would last, providing surety and stability for wives and children who remain at home."

You can decide for yourself what the immigration debate can learn from these findings; download it here.

Wilkerson co-wrote the study with his former BYU psychology professor Niwako Yamawaki and Samuel D. Downs, and it was published in the Healthcare for Women International journal this week. The study was carried out in rural Guanajuato in a cluster of five villages.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Photo: A screen shot from the documentary  "Los Que Se Quedan," or "Those Who Remain."

Comments

[Proud_Americana]

To the comment by Brittanicus, Heritage Foundation is a "reputable non-profit"? Its always hilarious to read about your exaggerated numbers & how illegals are doing more evil when discussing immigration. Right-wing politicos are the biggest hyprocrites. Btw, tell your (immigrant Latino, I'm sure) gardener & your cleaning lady I'd like their services as well.

[Trevor Haggett]

It is impossible for Mexico to become a first world country when their capital and their learned leave to the U.S. I could take the time to explain to you the reserve currency system (Bretton Woods) which gives us the upper hand and which makes it almost impossible for third world countries to prosper. Whether or not you believe we should allow immigrants into the country with or without permission it is important to treat them humanely. You in your rich neighborhood has an opportunity to earn a decent living, Mexicans do not have the same opportunities because they do not have access to capital. They earn peso's which are kept artificially low to the dollar based upon a dollar reserve currency.

[Alta Stokes]

It's amazing how the immigration patterns of Mexican men really affect "los que quedan" I was with Jared Wilkerson during parts of his studies in MX, and have personally seen the mental anguish of the wives and the children who are left behind, some not knowing when or if they will return. I personally taught literacy to several of the women he interviewed. I would have deep conversations with them, and by the end of my 4 month stay I would feel their pain because of the relationship I had made with them. I would have to say though, that having regular visitors, people to talk to, people to express themselves to helped, why? it gave them self-worth, knowing that someone cares about them and the situations they are in. Great job Jared!

[Hal K. Platts]

I did not read the study but read the comments of the same. I find the attitudes of most disturbing. It is shameful how many attribute so many problems in our society to so called illegals. In my own ignorance I do not know if immigrants, legal or illegal enhances or hurts our existence. I would love to have access to any study that is authentic and not biased by the right wing fanatics. My personal experience suggests that "illegals" bring far more good and positive things to our nation than the exploited negatives. One illegal causing a tradegy unfortunately is used to brand them all.
Hal

[Jared]

MaryJ,

Thank you for your long comments. It's apparent that you have thought long and hard over some of the issues addressed in the paper. I haven't checked the literature, but there may be research on how migration affects receiving communities and the mental health of those in the receiving communities. If you would like to run a search of your own, scholar.google.com is a great free resource.

As the study goes, it is much more about the connection between shifting gender role ideology and mental health, phenomena that have been studied in many countries--nowhere more deeply than in the United States. You can download my paper from the blog and begin to get a feel for the different theories regarding this connection.

The comments on immigration policy are my own opinions, and are not based in the psychometrics of the study. I admit that free trade rather than isolationism or protectionism is something that I value deeply. The invisible hand, unobstructed by unnecessary interference, was spoken of during the Revolutionary Era and was one of the pillars of our Founding Fathers' economic policy. Free trade in goods and services helps the United States in the long run--it does not harm us. It is in America's self interest to allow the free trade of labor to flow without undue restriction--as long as we can do it legally and safely. I realize that these are economic arguments and not visceral ones, but it is hardly in our best interest to keep willing people from contributing to our economy--even if they do come from another country.

On a final note, I sympathize with the mental distress you indicated so many times in your latest post. Numerous women I interviewed for this study wished for treatment of such distress and could not afford it.

[MaryJ]

but I also believe that we as Americans are not completely and morally justified in denying others "life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness".
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Michael, your ancestors and mine CREATED that "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness," it didn't spring magically from the dirt like a mythical phoenix. Yes, we DO have the RIGHT to benefit from the society our ancestors created and we equally have the RIGHT to deny it to others who did not do anything to create it. My name is specifically written in the Constitution of the United States of America, as the "posterity" my forefathers wrote the Constitution to protect. They did not consider the entire world their "posterity."

Is it really my fault that Mexico -- which sits on the same dirt as the US, between the same two oceans -- couldn't create the same type of society out of its dirt that my ancestors created out of the US's dirt? It is not, and it's not fair that I and my descendents should be forced to pay for the lack of ability of Mexico and Mexicans, or of any other foreign people as a matter of act, to create a decent First World society and economy.

Here's what causes me mental distress (as if you cared): I live in a safe (for now) prosperous suburb, and have sunk my entire life savings into a house in that suburb. Only a few towns away however is a "sanctuary" city that has been taken over by Mexican and Central American drug gangs. How long before these drug gangs infiltrate my suburb and destroy the value of my house, taking with them my life savings? (More mental distress.) How long before the excellent schools that I pay 8K per year in property taxes to suport become a mirror of the Third World school system of LAUSD? (I am the mother of a middle-schooler.) A man who lives in a near-by town was slaughtered by a drunk driving illegal a few years ago; he was a father of five. (The illegal had five DUIs on his record and our "government" had done nothing about it.) That could have been my husband or my daughter in that car -- more mental distress. Half of an entire family was recently murdered in broad daylight ON THE STREET by an illegal alien beneficiary of "saunctuary" policies in San Francisco -- again, that could have been my husband, he works in SF sometimes. I am currently unemployed but formerly earned a good salary as a corporate writer. The language issue isn't a blithe "joke" to me -- it's a direct threat to my livelihood. I should be forced at age 49 to learn the language of illegal alien invaders just to protect my livelihood? (More "mental distress") After paying taxes to our "government" for 30 years? (More "mental distress.") So again, I ask, where are the fancy university studies that document the mental distress of Americans who have had their whole way of life and even their language displaced because of bleeding hearts like yourself? Don't we count too? Or are we supposed to just "suck it up?" And if we're suppose to just "suck it up" then why aren't the Mexicans expected to just "suck it up" also?

[Michael]

MaryJ I understand where your frustration stems from and I believe that immigration reform should take place to let us know who is entering our borders, but I also believe that we as Americans are not completely and morally justified in denying others "life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness".

As native of the United States of European decent having forefathers from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars I am proud of the bravery and valor in which our ancestors faught. At the same time I am inspired by countless immigrants who make sacrifices in todays world for their family to have a better life. It saddens me to think that some put the value of life of one group above another. I feel very fortunate to have been born in the circumstances where I find myself having opportunities to learn and to make something of my self. Had the roles been switched however, finding myself in a country of corruption, poverty and suppression such as Mexico, I wonder if I would have the courage to make the journey to the Free World.

I believe that living in a world of opportunity such as American we begin to become selfish and arrogant in our ideology, thinking that we have a right to things. Being bilingual myself I am inspired by those who I have talked to from all over Latin America and Mexico who have given so much to provide for their loved ones, something I think we can learn from. As Jared points out there are consequences in doing so, but usually the motive is justified.

Again I believe something must be done to ensure higher education for all and to make the burden of increasing number of immigrants easier on already established citizens, but I think it should be done keeping an unbiased perspectvie on BOTH sides of the border. As far as the language issue goes I will end with a joke I have heard: "If someone who speaks three languages is trilingual and someone who speaks two languages is bilingual, what do you call someone who speaks only one language?...American."

P.S. Great paper and research Jared!

[MaryJ]

Where's the study on the mental distress caused to Americans when our long-settled First World communities are disrupted by mass immigration of unassimilating Third World peasants? Surely there is a great deal of mental distress caused by the fact that our schools and healthcare facilities are crowded and failing, our infrastructure is crumbling, while our tax bills are going through the roof, to support them all? Surely there is mental distress caused by the loss of our language and culture as our "betters" like Jared demand that we change our way of life to accomodate the Third Worlders, rather than the other way around.

I guess our own "mental distress" just doesn't count for much. Who are we after all, except for the milk cows who pay for all the wonderful "diversity" to come here for their "better life"? A Third World peasant woman in Mexico is so much, much more valuable to our country than a 12th generation descendent of a Revolutionary War soldier who sweated and died to build this country, isn't she, Jared?

[Jared]

Sterling: In the villages studied, some of the women (both with migrant husbands and otherwise) have concerns about infidelity, yet few are permanently abandoned by their husbands. Some of the women I interviewed expressed such concerns, and at least two were abandoned by their husbands, who married other women in the USA, but infidelity also happens while they're at home. If a man's going to cheat, he doesn't need to go to the US to do so. On the flip side, many men and women in the villages expressed to me their fidelity to their spouses and their love for their families, and the families with whom I lived and worked were very close-knit by any standard. But you're right--a study on how fidelity issues affect mental health in this immigration context would be interesting.

[Sterling]

I'm surprised they didn't make any comments as to how many of those men actually return to their families. I lived in Costa Rica for two years, which is more prosperous than most of Central America, and some of the problems women face when sending off their husbands to earn money, even within their own borders, is infidelity and occasionally total desertion of the family. I wonder if that has any measurable effect on mental health?

[Brittanicus]

With yet another path to citizenship in this nations future, we had better take careful notice of the consequences? Without any doubt to process 13 to 20 million plus illegal immigrants is, according to Robert Rector of the reputable non-profit Heritage Foundation $2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS. It's an accumulation of procedures necessary to investigate backgrounds of all those who come out of the proverbial shadows. But if and when another of these AMNESTIES is forced past the American voters, millions more will be equally ready to head for America, expecting a ninth Amnesty. The major one in 1986 was rife with fraud and was never enforced, that's why our country has uncontrolled illegal immigration?

If we command of the Democratic leadership who originally tried to kill E-Verify, such as Sen. Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, we have an ongoing chance of combating the illegal immigrants of stealing further into the workplace. With Obama admitting that unemployment is farther on the rise, why would they be entering discussions of forcing another Amnesty down our throats. E-Verify is rapidly catching on and accelerating in the workplace and should not be denied to the American worker. CALL YOUR SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE AND DEMAND It should be fully funded, permanence and an a Federal identity check for everyone in working America? NUMBERSUSA, CAPSWEB for more details.