OBJECTIVES: Discrimination has been associated with adverse psychological and physical health outcomes, but few studies have examined the effects of discrimination on Hispanic adolescents. This study assessed the relation of perceived discrimination with depressive symptoms and drug use. Covariates included immigrant generation status (GS). A second objective was to examine the potentially moderating effect of neighborhoods' ethnic composition as suggested by Mair et al. DESIGN: Secondary data analyses of a longitudinal survey examined self-reports of Hispanic adolescents in 9th grade (the first year of high school) and 11th grade at seven high schools in Los Angeles. RESULTS: (1) Perceiving discrimination in 9th grade significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β=0.23, p<0.01) and drug use (β=0.12, p<0.01) in 11th grade, even after controlling for socioeconomic status, gender, acculturation, and GS in the USA. The third GS group reported significantly higher perceptions of discrimination compared to newer immigrants. (2) Neighborhoods' ethnic composition was included as a moderator of the association between perceived discrimination and the outcomes, but did not moderate the relation. CONCLUSION: Teaching Hispanic adolescents effective strategies for coping with discrimination, such as increasing their sense of belongingness in the American mainstream, may prove useful in preventing drug use and depressive symptoms.
OBJECTIVES: Discrimination has been associated with adverse psychological and physical health outcomes, but few studies have examined the effects of discrimination on Hispanic adolescents. This study assessed the relation of perceived discrimination with depressive symptoms and drug use. Covariates included immigrant generation status (GS). A second objective was to examine the potentially moderating effect of neighborhoods' ethnic composition as suggested by Mair et al. DESIGN: Secondary data analyses of a longitudinal survey examined self-reports of Hispanic adolescents in 9th grade (the first year of high school) and 11th grade at seven high schools in Los Angeles. RESULTS: (1) Perceiving discrimination in 9th grade significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β=0.23, p<0.01) and drug use (β=0.12, p<0.01) in 11th grade, even after controlling for socioeconomic status, gender, acculturation, and GS in the USA. The third GS group reported significantly higher perceptions of discrimination compared to newer immigrants. (2) Neighborhoods' ethnic composition was included as a moderator of the association between perceived discrimination and the outcomes, but did not moderate the relation. CONCLUSION: Teaching Hispanic adolescents effective strategies for coping with discrimination, such as increasing their sense of belongingness in the American mainstream, may prove useful in preventing drug use and depressive symptoms.
Authors: Christina Mair; Ana V Diez Roux; Theresa L Osypuk; Stephen R Rapp; Teresa Seeman; Karol E Watson Journal: Soc Sci Med Date: 2010-05-12 Impact factor: 4.634
Authors: Neeta Thakur; Nicolas E Barcelo; Luisa N Borrell; Smriti Singh; Celeste Eng; Adam Davis; Kelley Meade; Michael A LeNoir; Pedro C Avila; Harold J Farber; Denise Serebrisky; Emerita Brigino-Buenaventura; William Rodriguez-Cintron; Shannon Thyne; Jose R Rodriguez-Santana; Saunak Sen; Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo; Esteban Gonzalez Burchard Journal: Chest Date: 2016-12-01 Impact factor: 9.410
Authors: Angie Denisse Otiniano Verissimo; Christine E Grella; Hortensia Amaro; Gilbert C Gee Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2014-06-12 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Karen R Flórez; Kathryn Pitkin Derose; Joshua Breslau; Beth Ann Griffin; Ann C Haas; David E Kanouse; Brian D Stucky; Malcolm V Williams Journal: J Immigr Minor Health Date: 2015-12
Authors: Julia B Ward; Lydia Feinstein; Anissa I Vines; Whitney R Robinson; Mary N Haan; Allison E Aiello Journal: Ethn Health Date: 2017-04-12 Impact factor: 2.772