Mexican wives' mental health dives when husbands work in US

Selected highlights from a new study on immigration, health and gender roles:

• Mexican wives who stay home when their husbands immigrate to the United States for work have poorer mental health than a comparison group.
• Shifting gender roles seem to be equally as stressful as the husbands' absence.

"Popular American psychology would suggest that their newfound independence might ease the stress of single-handedly managing the household. Being apart from their husbands, who go to the United States to work, does nothing beneficial for their mental health." - Jared Wilkerson, lead study author

The study of 47 "sending" and 47 "non-sending" Mexican wives will be published in the July issue of the journal Health Care for Women International.

More information on the research project available at: http://byunews.byu.edu/archive09-Jun-immigration.aspx