Ethnic discrimination, social cohesion, and mental health among Latinx adults.

Abstract

The negative effects of ethnic discrimination on depression symptoms have led researchers to identify potential risk and protective variables of this relationship. While some studies have focused on individual level factors, little research has explored the role of community-level variables, or the combination of both. The present study of Latinx adults (N = 304) tested a moderated mediation model to examine if alcohol use was a mediator of ethnic discrimination and depression under certain levels of social cohesion. Results found that alcohol use was a mediator between ethnic discrimination and depression symptoms and social cohesion moderated this relationship, such that alcohol use was not significant at higher levels of social cohesion. Implications and future directions are discussed. Public Policy Relevance StatementEthnic discrimination continues to engender poor mental health outcomes among the Latinx community. The present study examined the role of neighborhood-and individual-level factors in contributing to the relationship between ethnic discrimination and depression symptoms. The findings suggest that social cohesion serves a protective function highlighting the importance of community on mental health. This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.

Social connectedness and surviving at the margins: Findings from interviews with low-income Latino men in the U.S. Northeast.

“…For example, several men spoke about the protective effect of embracing the cultural significance of social connection through family interactions and positive interpersonal interactions, which influenced their own agency in helping others, and the benefits of increased community support on their health. Literature has identified discrimination and social exclusion as a risk factor that impacts the well-being and health of Latinxs (e.g., LeBrón & Viruell-Fuentes, 2020; Martínez et al, 2022; Torres et al, 2022) and identified social support as protective against discrimination experiences (e.g., Bostean et al, 2019; Garcini et al, 2020; Lee et al, 2020; Organista & Ngo, 2019). Our findings expand on this literature by identifying familismo , simpatía , and community support as protective factors that are culturally relevant to PR men and help buffer against the discrimination they face.…”

Examining Associations Between Discrimination, Social Cohesion, and Health among White LGBT versus POC LGBT Chicagoans

“…The current study attempts to address several gaps in the existing research literature. Although the exploration of these constructs is increasing in frequency (Torres et al 2022), limited work tests social cohesion as a mediator of discrimination-health associations. Therefore, this study tested a mediation model among LGBT individuals in Chicago, in which self-reported discrimination experiences were proposed to inversely relate to four self-reported health domains (e.g., general health, healthcare access, mental health, and physical health); social cohesion was proposed to relate positively to health; and the discrimination-health associations were proposed to be mediated by perceived feelings of social cohesion (See Figure 1).…”