Perceived Discrimination and the Emotional and Behavioral Adjustment of Latinx Adolescents in a New Immigrant Area: Examining the Role of Parents and Peers
Open AccessLatinx youth are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population and are at higher risk for a number of internalizing (i.e., emotional problems or disorders) and externalizing (i.e., behavioral problems) symptoms compared to their White and African American counterparts. Perceived ethnic discrimination, defined a prejudicial or unfair treatment because of one’s ethnicity, has been found to be associated with increases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms among Latinx youth. However, much of the extant research has failed to examine the specific effects of discrimination based on the perpetrator. Further, few studies have examined this issue among contemporary samples of Latinx youth living in new immigrant areas for whom discrimination may be a particularly salient stressor. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to assess the effects of discrimination on the emotional and behavioral adjustment of a recent sample of Latinx youth living in a new immigrant area over six-month and one-year time periods. Given the importance of the school environment and peer relations for youth development, studies will specifically examine the effects of school discrimination (defined as discrimination perpetrated by a teacher or other adult at school) and peer discrimination (defined as discrimination perpetrated by a classmate). Additionally, studies will assess the moderating role of parental support, given evidence of the protective effect of social support against harms from discrimination, as well as test a possible mediating pathway through deviant peer affiliation.This dissertation used survey data from 547 Latinx middle school students randomly sampled from a school district in a new immigrant area. Data were collected in 2018 and 2019. Structural equation models estimated pathways from school and peer discrimination at time 1 to internalizing and externalizing symptoms at time 2 (six-month follow-up) and time 3 (one-year follow-up). Models also tested the interaction effect of discrimination X parental support, and the indirect effect of discrimination to adjustment outcomes, through deviant peer affiliation.Results indicated that school discrimination was associated with increases in both internalizing and externalizing symptoms six months later. There was no evidence suggestive of the protective effect of parental warmth and acceptance. For peer discrimination, results indicated a significant association with increases in externalizing, but not internalizing, symptoms over a one-year period. The test of the mediating role of deviant peer affiliation in this relationship revealed a significant positive indirect effect. Specific direct effects indicated more peer discrimination was associated with greater affiliation with deviant peers, which in turn, was associated with increases in externalizing symptoms.The findings from this dissertation reinforce existing knowledge about the damaging effects of discrimination, while providing unique contributions in terms of the specific effects of school and peer discrimination, as well as effects among a contemporary sample of Latinx youth for whom discrimination is likely a very salient stressor. Further, results provide evidence of a possible mechanism through which discrimination may lead to changes in youth adjustment and highlight the need to identify protective factors that could attenuate the negative effects of discrimination for Latinx youth.
- All rights reserved
Notice to Authors
If you are the author of this work and you have any questions about the information on this page, please use the Contact form to get in touch with us.