When is bicultural stress associated with loss of hope and depressive symptoms? Variation by ethnic identity status among Mexican descent youth.

Abstract

Depressive symptoms among Latina/o youth are associated with higher bicultural stress, such as outgroup discrimination, ingroup marginalization, speaking only one language in dual language contexts, and family cultural conflict. However, the relation between bicultural stress and hopelessness or depressive symptoms may vary among Mexican descent adolescents. In particular, ethnic identity status, based on ethnic exploration and ethnic resolution, may protect or increase vulnerability to bicultural stressors. Participants included 522 Mexican descent adolescents (53.1% female; age range 14 to 18 years: M ϭ 16.22 years, SD ϭ 1.09 years) who completed a self-report survey at a school on the U.S./Mexico border with 97% Latina/o concentration. Three ethnic identity statuses (diffused, foreclosed, and achieved) were identified in this sample using cluster analysis based on ethnic identity exploration and resolution. A multiple group path analysis found that more hopelessness was significantly associated with more bicultural stress among diffused and achieved youth. Depressive symptoms were associated with bicultural stress only for achieved youth. Diffused ethnic identity youth reported the highest rates of hopelessness, and they reported more hopelessness when they reported higher rates of bicultural stress. Contrary to hypotheses, achieved ethnic identity status youth reported a significant association between bicultural stress and both hopelessness and depressive symptoms. Our results suggest that achieved ethnic identity may not necessarily be an unmitigated protective factor, particularly when considering intragroup marginalization in areas of high Latina/o concentration.

Disentangling relationships between bicultural stress and mental well-being among Latinx immigrant adolescents.

“…Thus, while there may be within-person influences, the directionality of this relationship is not clear from the current study. Previous studies have found that social and cultural stressors are linked with less hopefulness within persons (Piña-Watson, Llamas, et al, 2015; Romero, Piña-Watson, & Toomey, 2018; Stein et al, 2012). In the current study, there is preliminary evidence of some causal dominance of higher self-esteem predicting higher hopefulness.…”

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Neuroticism, and Ethnic Identity in Young Latina Adults

“…The current findings supported this claim as self-reported ethnic identity scores were highest for first-generation and lowest for third-generation. Research suggests that this dual-identity and lack of identification with a single ethnic background could contribute to increased levels of internal conflict and acculturative stress experienced, thereby reducing the potentially protective role of ethnic identity for third-generation Latin immigrants (Forster et al, 2015; Romero et al, 2018; Sanchez & Fernandez, 1993).…”

Examining hopelessness as a link between discrimination and depression among Latinx women: A brief report.

“…Given that discriminatory experiences cannot be controlled, predicted, or stopped (Williams & Mohammed, 2009), discriminatory events may trigger hopelessness beliefs. with this notion, Romero et al (2018) found that bicultural stress, which included experiences of ethnic discrimination, was positively correlated with hopelessness among Latinx adolescents. While hopelessness beliefs are not unique to Latinx women, limited work has examined the relationship among discrimination, hopelessness, and depression among Latinx women.…”