Immigrants and the Dying American Dream: Longitudinal Examination of the Relationship Between Perceived Discrimination and the Future Success of Immigrants

Discrimination has serious effects on the health and well-being of immigrants, and research shows that immigrants face unfair treatment in various aspects of their lives, including education, healthcare, employment, housing, and loan applications. Using social identity theory (SIT) and self-categorization theory (SCT) as foundational frameworks to explain immigration-based discrimination, the current study analyzed longitudinal data from adolescents to explore how perceived discrimination impacts the future success of second-generation immigrants. The two main goals are to evaluate the direct impact of perceived discrimination on immigrants’ future achievements and to identify any indirect effects on their likelihood of succeeding. Utilizing an advanced structural equation modeling approach, the study revealed that discrimination affects an immigrant's chances of success over time; those who experienced discrimination during their adolescence found it more difficult to succeed as adults. Additionally, it was found that certain individual and psychological traits influence immigrants’ future success, but these effects are conditioned by discrimination. The policy implications of these findings are significant and highlight the need for strategies to reduce discrimination.