Resumen de Romanian Immigrants in Italy: Mental Health and Potential Protective and Vulnerability Factors

Ioana A. Marin, Francesco Mancini

• We investigated the mental health, in terms of reported Axis I psychiatric symptoms, of a sample of Romanian Immigrants in Italy, using the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ). Moreover, we explored the association between psychological distress or specific disorders and a few demographic and cultural variables connected to the immigration process and identified as possible vulnerability/protective factors. Results showed a high frequency of above cut-off scores for Obsessive-compulsive disorder (45.8%, n=49), Psychosis (38.3%, n=41), Somatisation (35.5%, n=38), Generalized Anxiety (32.7%, n=35), PTSD (31.8%, n=34), Major Depression (30.8%, n=33) and Social Phobia (30.8%, n=33). Perceived ethnic discrimination and low language proficiency were identified as important vulnerability factors, predictive of clinical levels of anxiety and depression.