Language Brokering and Immigrant-Origin Youth's Well-Being: A Meta-Analytic Review

Public Significance Statement This meta-analysis suggests that youth from immigrant families who frequently translate materials for their families are at slightly higher risk of experiencing problems in family relationships and mental health. However, all youth are not equally affected, and youth's positive (or negative) subjective feelings about their translating experiences can better predict their (mal)adjustment, suggesting that targeted, coping-based interventions may be needed particularly for those youth negatively impacted by their translator role. Youth from immigrant families often translate or interpret materials for their parents who lack proficiency in the dominant language of the mainstream society. However, evidence remains mixed regarding whether such a language brokering role is promotive or disruptive for youth's well-being. This meta-analysis synthesized 65 studies (1,242 effect sizes, 17,791 individuals; grand M-age = 16.68, SDage = 4.78) to examine whether, how, and when brokering frequency and feelings were related to well-being. Language brokering frequency was inversely associated with youth's positive family relationships (r = -.10) and socioemotional outcomes (r = -.10) and positively related to youth's acculturation stress (r = .06). However, positive or negative language brokering feelings were stronger predictors of youth' well-being or maladjustment (|r| = .10-.29). The associations between language brokering frequency and youth's adjustment also varied across subgroups, with the effects of frequent language brokering being more detrimental for European immigrant-origin (vs. Latinx), female (vs. male), and foreign-born (vs. native-born) youth. These findings underscore the need for a nuanced understanding of the impacts of youth language brokering. Finally, practical and policy implications are discussed.