Disadvantageous but How Much?: Immigration Paradox From a Different Perspective

ABSTRACT This study investigated the interplay between migration and orphanhood, focusing on mental health, self‐esteem, identity functioning and self‐perception in adolescents living in Türkiye. The research aimed to explore both the unique and combined effects of migration and orphanhood across four distinct groups of adolescents. Participants were categorized into four groups: host nonorphans, host orphans, migrant nonorphans and migrant orphans. Self‐report questionnaires measured depression, anxiety, stress, self‐esteem, identity functioning and social comparison. Data were analysed using ANOVA, correlation and multiple regression to identify significant predictors, relationships and group differences. Host nonorphans exhibited strong negative correlations between mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety and stress) and both self‐esteem and social comparison, highlighting protective effects. These correlations weakened but remained significant in host orphans. Among migrant nonorphans, correlations with identity functioning were non‐significant, while migrant orphans demonstrated moderate but significant correlations between social comparison and self‐esteem. Regression analysis showed that self‐esteem and social comparison were key predictors of mental health in host nonorphans, with predictive factors varying across other groups. This study challenges the immigrant paradox by showing that its protective effects do not apply uniformly across subgroups. While host orphans exhibited resilience, migrant orphans faced heightened psychological risks, and migrant nonorphans emerged as the most vulnerable. These findings underscore the need for tailored interventions that address the specific vulnerabilities of migrant adolescents, particularly those without orphan status.