Cultural stress, personal identity development, and mental health among U.S. Hispanic college students

Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2024 Mar 28. doi: 10.1037/ort0000735. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe present study examines the extent to which culturally stressful experiences may predict impaired well-being, increased internalizing symptoms (depression and anxiety), and increased externalizing problems (social aggression, physical aggression, and rule breaking) among a sample of Hispanic college students in Miami across a 12-day period. The predictive effects of cultural stressors on these outcomes were examined both (a) directly and (b) indirectly through daily fluctuations in students' personal identity synthesis and confusion. Results indicated direct predictive effects of cultural stress on four forms of well-being (self-esteem, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and eudaimonic well-being), on symptoms of depression and anxiety, and on physical aggression and rule breaking. The predictive effects of cultural stress on all four forms of well-being and on symptoms of depression and anxiety were partially mediated through daily fluctuations (instability) in students' sense of personal identity synthesis. Findings were consistent across genders and between U.S.- and foreign-born students. Results are discussed in terms of implications for intervention and for policy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).PMID:38546564 | DOI:10.1037/ort0000735

Source: The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - March 28, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Seth J Schwartz Cory L Cobb Alan Meca Tara Bautista Sumeyra Sahbaz Aigerim Alpysbekova Lawrence G Watkins Lea Nehme Byron L Zamboanga Pablo Montero-Zamora Maria Duque Duyen H Vo Yara Acaf Jos é Szapocznik Source Type: research