<p>Adolescents with migrant status are often portrayed as being at developmental risk, yet this deficit-based perspective may obscure strengths cultivated through the migration process. Grounded in stress inoculation theory, this two-wave prospective study examined whether migrant status buffers the adverse effects of cumulative family risk on self-compassion and psychological resilience. Participants were 1,622 Chinese adolescents assessed twice over a three-month interval. Half-longitudinal mediation analysis revealed that T1 cumulative family risk negatively predicted T2 psychological resilience, partially mediated by T2 self-compassion. Multi-group analysis showed that migrant status moderated both the direct path (cumulative family risk→psychological resilience) and the first-stage path (cumulative family risk→self-compassion), with significantly weaker negative effects among migrant adolescents. These findings challenge deficit-based narratives and are consistent with stress inoculation theory: adaptive capacities from navigating migration-related challenges—such as cognitive flexibility and self-distancing—may confer psychological resistance to subsequent family adversity. Results underscore strengths-based interventions: fostering self-compassion for at-risk adolescents, and reframing migrant status as evidence of resilience and adaptability.</p>