Objective: The present study introduces a daily, microlevel perspective on acculturation using a sample of Hispanic college students in Miami. Methods: We conducted a 12-day diary study with a sample of first-and second-generation Hispanic college students in Miami. Outcome variables were measured on Days 1 and 12, and acculturation components (practices, identities, and values) were measured on Days 2-11. Daily fluctuations in acculturation components between Days 2 and 11 were examined as predictors of well-being, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing problems on Day 12. Results: Fluctuations in comfort with speaking English negatively predicted three of the four well-being outcomes and positively predicted all of the internalizing and externalizing indicators. Fluctuations in collectivist values predicted two of the well-being outcomes and both anxiety and depressive symptoms, and fluctuations in ethnic identity predicted anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Daily volatility in comfort with English, collectivist values, and ethnic identity appear to be most distressing.

BackgroundHIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and drug abuse remain significant public health concerns in the United States, and African American and Hispanic youth are disproportionately affected. Although technology-based interventions are efficacious in preventing and reducing HIV/STI and licit/illicit drug use behaviors, relatively little is known regarding the state of the science of these interventions among African American and Hispanic youth.ObjectiveThe aim of this review is to identify and examine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of technology-based HIV/STI and/or drug abuse preventive interventions for African American and Hispanic youth.MethodsWe searched electronic databases (ie, PubMed, Proquest, PsycINFO, Ebscohost, Google Scholar) to identify studies between January 2006 and October 2016. RCTs of technology-based interventions targeting African American and Hispanic youth HIV/STI risk behaviors, including sexual risk, licit and illicit drug use, and HIV/STI testing were included.ResultsOur search revealed a total of three studies that used an RCT design and included samples comprised of >50% African American and/or Hispanic youth. The follow-up assessments ranged from two weeks to six months and the number of participants in each trial ranged from 72 to 141. The three interventions were theory-driven, interactive, and tailored. The long-term effects of the interventions were mixed, and outcomes included reductions in sex partners, licit drug use, and condomless anal sex acts.ConclusionsAlthough technology-based interventions seem promising in the prevention of HIV/STI and drug abuse among African American and Hispanic youth, more research is needed.

Hurricane Maria (2017) caused great damage to Puerto Rico, undermining people’s quality of life and forcing thousands to migrate to the U.S. mainland. Identifying individuals at elevated risk of suffering mental health problems as a function of being exposed to hurricane and cultural stress is crucial to reducing the burden of such health outcomes. The present study was conducted in 2020–2021 (3–4 years postdisaster) with 319 adult Hurricane Maria survivors on the U.S. mainland. We aimed to (a) identify latent stress subgroups, as defined by hurricane stress and cultural stress, and (b) map these latent stress subgroups or classes onto sociodemographic characteristics and mental health indicators (i.e., symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety). We used latent profile analysis and multinomial regression modeling to accomplish the study aims. We extracted four latent classes: (a) low hurricane stress/low cultural stress (44.7%), (b) low hurricane stress/moderate cultural stress (38.7%), (c) high hurricane stress/moderate cultural stress (6.3%), and (d) moderate hurricane stress/high cultural stress (10.4%). Individuals in the low hurricane stress/low cultural stress class reported the highest household incomes and levels of English-language proficiency. The moderate hurricane stress/high cultural stress class reported the worst mental health outcomes. While postmigration cultural stress, as a chronic stressor, emerged as the most important predictor of poor mental health, hurricane stress, as an acute stressor that occurred several years earlier, emerged as less influential. Our findings might be used to inform mental health prevention experts who work with natural disaster survivors forced to migrate.

Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to examine the association between perceived discrimination and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) outcomes among recently arrived Venezuelan parents in Florida and Colombia. The secondary aim was to determine whether, given the existence of an association between perceived discrimination and PTSD, this association may have been moderated by gender or by country of relocation. This is the first study to examine perceived discrimination and PTSD in Venezuelan migrants. Method: In October 2017, 647 Venezuelan migrant parents (62% female, average age 33) participated in an online survey in the United States (primarily Florida) and Colombia (Bogotá). The survey was cross-sectional and assessed mental health outcomes, perceived discrimination, and participant demographics. Results: There was a significant positive association between discrimination and PTSD outcomes when controlling for age, college completion, marital status, and recency of arrival (β = .25, p < .001). Further, this relationship was moderated by gender, with the relationships of discrimination with PTSD symptom severity (β = .26, p < .001) and likelihood of a positive PTSD screen (OR = 1.07, 95% confidence interval [1.04, 1.09], p < .001) both reaching significance for women but not for men. Conclusions: Perceived discrimination is an important factor when considering mental health outcomes among Venezuelans in the United States and in Colombia. Further, our findings suggest the presence of gender differences in the relationship between discrimination and PTSD.