The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has updated its Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including with new information specifically addressed to individuals in the European Economic Area. As described in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences.

Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.

×
No Access

Adults' recollection of their language deprivation as immigrant children

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.139.5.607

For this retrospective study, six adult patients in psychoanalytic psychotherapy participated in 45-min audiotaped individual sessions that focused on their reaction to the language deprivation they experienced following their immigration to the United States during their later childhood years. The content analysis of these sessions showed that all six patients experienced the impact of language deprivation in a strikingly similar way. Four consecutive stages were identified: withdrawal, despondency, adaptation, and integration. On the basis of these preliminary observations, the author makes tentative recommendations aimed at ameliorating the consequences of language deprivation in immigrant children and suggests systematic research on these children.

Access content

To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.