Ethnic discrimination and Latino depression

The mediating role of traumatic stress symptoms and alcohol use

Bibliographic Data

ID8109717
AuthorsLucas Torres (0000-0001-6826-2099, Institute of Psychology, corresponding author), Leticia G Vallejo (Institute of Psychology)
Year2015
Volume21
Issue4
Pages517-526
Publication date2015-01-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueCultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1099-9809 • E-ISSN: 1939-0106
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1037/cdp0000020
PMID25602468
OpenAlexW2316425523
LanguageEN
Citations received16
References cited46

Previous research has established a link between ethnic discrimination and poor mental health, yet the process by which this relationship occurs remains unclear. It has been hypothesized that the potential mechanisms accounting for the negative consequences of ethnic discrimination may be through stress responses and health behaviors (Pascoe & Smart Richman, 2009). The present study sought to examine the role of traumatic stress symptoms and alcohol use in mediating the relationship between ethnic discrimination and depressive symptoms. Two aspects of ethnic discrimination were assessed, namely source of discrimination and reaction to discrimination. The sample for the current study included 244 adult Latinos averaging approximately 40 years of age (SD = 15.29; range 18-85). Participants, which were comprised of mainly women (66%, n = 156), completed a series of paper-and-pencil questionnaires. Multiple mediator analyses revealed that, among U.S.-born but not foreign-born Latinos, both source of discrimination and reaction to discrimination were related to increased traumatic stress symptoms, which, in turn, was associated with depressive symptomatology. The traumatic stress symptoms pathway showed a robust indirect effect while alcohol use was not a statistically significant mediator. These major findings suggest that, while ethnic discrimination has a direct effect on depression, increased traumatic stress can account for this relationship particularly for U.S.-born Latinos. The findings are discussed within a stress and coping framework. (PsycINFO Database Record

Anxiety · Coping (psychology · Depression (economics · Depressive symptoms · Ethnic group · MEDLINE · Mental health · Psychiatry · PsycINFO · Traumatic stress · Clinical Psychology · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research

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