Final answer:
The increased risk of mental disorder among U.S.-born Mexican Americans compared to recent Mexican immigrants illustrates the immigrant paradox. This concept highlights better mental health among new immigrants, which may deteriorate in later generations due to cultural assimilation and socioeconomic challenges. The correct option is b. the immigrant paradox.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon of Mexican Americans born in the United States facing a greater risk of mental disorder compared to recent immigrants from Mexico is known as the immigrant paradox. This term refers to the unexpected findings that despite facing various socioeconomic disadvantages, recent immigrants often report better mental health and adjustment outcomes compared to their U.S.-born counterparts.
Contributing factors could include stronger family ties, cultural coherence, and social support that immigrants bring with them, which may erode over time and subsequent generations in the U.S. The losses of these protective social and cultural factors could lead to increased mental health risks for the U.S.-born descendants of immigrants. Furthermore, the impacts of systemic marginalization, discrimination, and economic hardship experienced by undocumented immigrants and their families exacerbate these risks.
Studies such as those by sociologists and economists help shed light on the complexities surrounding immigration, assimilation, and the overall health and well-being of immigrants and their subsequent generations in the United States.