Social Connection in Immigrants Review - Reviewed Article Citations

Social connection is increasingly recognized as a critical determinant of health, yet psychology lacks an understanding of how this relationship operates among immigrants in the United States. Intersecting challenges related to migration-related stressors, discrimination, and exclusionary policies amplify risk and contribute to persistent mental and physical health disparities. To examine the experiences of social connection among first-generation U.S. immigrants and their influence on immigrants’ health and well-being across the lifespan, we reviewed 144 articles published between 2014 and September 2025. Across studies, we observed seven overlapping but inconsistently defined constructs of connection (social networks, social capital, belonging, connectedness, community support, social cohesion, and social ties), highlighting the need for a multidimensional framework. We synthesized study findings into five overarching themes that elucidate how and why social connection matters for immigrants: 1) positive mental and physical health outcomes; 2) access to resources and opportunities; 3) identity affirmation and cultural networks; 4) stress and coping; and 5) immigrant context. To interpret findings, we propose a Social Connection in Immigrants Framework, which integrates constructs and themes and suggests pathways linking social connection to health and well-being. Taken together, our results position social connection as a lever for advancing psychological theory and guiding equity-promoting, context-sensitive interventions that respond to the realities of immigration in the U.S. We identify opportunities for psychology to lead in advancing immigrant well-being by designing multidimensional measures and mechanism-focused studies, embedding connection assessments in clinical practice, and shaping policies that build connection infrastructure and promote belonging within immigrant communities.

社会联结（social connection）日益被视为影响健康的关键决定因素，但心理学界目前仍未能明晰这一关联在美国移民群体中的运作机制。与移民相关的压力源、歧视及排他性政策等多重交叉挑战，进一步放大了健康风险，加剧了移民群体长期存在的身心健康差异。为探究美国第一代移民的社会联结体验及其对移民群体全生命周期健康与福祉的影响，本研究梳理了2014年至2025年9月期间发表的144篇相关文献。综合各项研究，本研究共识别出7种存在重叠但定义不一的社会联结构念：社会网络（social networks）、社会资本（social capital）、归属感（belonging）、联结感（connectedness）、社区支持（community support）、社会凝聚（social cohesion）以及社会纽带（social ties），凸显了构建多维度分析框架的必要性。本研究将现有研究结论整合为5个核心主题，用以阐明社会联结对移民群体产生影响的方式与内在逻辑：1) 积极的身心健康结局；2) 资源与机遇获取；3) 身份认同与文化网络；4) 压力应对；5) 移民语境。为阐释上述研究发现，本研究提出了「移民群体社会联结框架」（Social Connection in Immigrants Framework），该框架整合了各类社会联结构念与核心主题，并梳理出社会联结影响移民健康与福祉的潜在路径。综合来看，本研究结果表明，社会联结可作为推动心理学理论发展的重要支点，同时也可为制定贴合美国移民现实、促进公平且兼顾语境的干预措施提供指引。本研究同时指出，心理学领域可通过以下路径在提升移民福祉方面发挥引领作用：设计多维度的社会联结测评工具与机制导向型研究、将社会联结评估纳入临床实践、制定相关政策以完善移民社区的联结基础设施并提升其群体归属感。