Based on the correlational findings, Hypothesis 1 was partially supported, where Latinos'/as' perceived discrimination was significantly and positively correlated with symptoms of anxiety and depression, but not with self-esteem. In Hypotheses 2--5, four culturally protective factors were hypothesized as moderators (buffers) on the relations between perceived discrimination and psychological functioning. These four culturally protective factors were enculturation, ethnic identity, familismo, and acculturation. Based on the hierarchical regression findings, none of the identified protective factors were found as moderators on the relations between perceived discrimination and psychological functioning. The study strengths and limitations as well as practical implications and future research are discussed.

This Handbook presents current research on children and youth in ethnic minority families. It reflects the development currently taking place in the field of social sciences research to highlight the positive adaptation of minority children and youth. It offers a succinct synthesis of where the field is and where it needs to go. It brings together an international group of leading researchers, and, in view of globalization and increased migration and immigration, it addresses what aspects of children and youth growing in ethnic minority families are universal across contexts and what aspects are more context-specific. The Handbook examines the individual, family, peers, and neighborhood/policy factors that protect children and promote positive adaptation. It examines the factors that support children’s social integration, psychosocial adaptation, and external functioning. Finally, it looks at the mechanisms that explain why social adaptation occurs.

Evidence suggests that among Hispanic/Latino populations in the United States, perceived discrimination is a significant stressor that may be a risk factor for unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol use, smoking and negative health outcomes such as depression. However, the Hispanic/Latino population might have different susceptibilities to the stressors of discrimination based on their specific heritage as they continue to be portrayed as a homogeneous group while disregarding the unique heritage-specific attributes that constitute this larger ethnic population. Aims : The aims of this dissertation were : (1) To examine whether self-reports of perceived discrimination across different Hispanic/Latino heritage groups were associated with alcohol use and abuse. (2) To determine whether reports of perceived discrimination across different Hispanic/Latino heritage groups were associated with smoking and (3) To assess the association between migration, discrimination and depressive symptoms among a population of indigenous Mayan migrants. Methods : In Chapters 2 and 3, 16,415 individuals who self-identified as Hispanic/Latino and were between the ages of 18-74 were randomly selected, recruited and interviewed by the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos in the communities of The Bronx, New York; Chicago, Illinois; San Diego, California and Miami, Florida. Perceived discrimination and its association with alcohol use and smoking were explored. In Chapter 4, a total of 650 individuals of Tunkaseño heritage (a community of indigenous Maya from the Mexican state of Yucatán) were recruited binationally in the town of Tunkás and the satellite communities of Anaheim and Inglewood, California by The Mexican Migration Field Research Program staff. We assessed the association between migration history, religiosity and perceived discrimination. Results : Chapter 2 found that individuals of Cuban heritage who reported perceived discrimination were significantly more likely to report alcohol use. In Chapter 3 no significant association was found between those who reported perceived discrimination and smoking after controlling for identified psychosocial variables and alcohol use. Chapter 4 found that migration experience and current U.S. residence was associated with perceived discrimination, which in turn was associated with a higher risk for depressive symptoms, but this finding was not supported in gender-stratified analyses. Among women not living in the U.S, religiosity was associated with less discrimination. Also discrimination was found to be pervasive among male and female transnational and domestic migrants while religiosity served as a possible protective factor against discrimination for some women. Conclusions : Results from these studies have important implications for the development and restructuring of programs designed to assist Hispanics/Latinos with substance abuse or depression. Public health programs should include perceived discrimination and migration history as a potential risk for substance use and negative mental health outcomes, and be tailored individually to Hispanic/Latino heritage.

Advancing work to effectively study, understand, and serve the fastest growing U.S. ethnic minority population, this volume explicitly emphasizes the racial and ethnic diversity within this heterogeneous cultural group. The focus is on the complex historical roots of contemporary Latino/as, their diversity in skin-color and physiognomy, racial identity, ethnic identity, gender differences, immigration patterns, and acculturation. The work highlights how the complexities inherent in the diverse Latino/a experience, as specified throughout the topics covered in this volume, become critical elements of culturally responsive and racially conscious mental health treatment approaches. By addressing the complexities, within-group differences, and racially heterogeneity characteristic of U.S. Latino/as, this volume makes a significant contribution to the literature related to mental health treatments and interventions.

How do people fall in love on the Internet? Why is cyberspace such a violent place? This volume answers these and many other questions, focusing on the psychological well-being of Internet users and the commercial benefits of understanding online behaviour.

Young adulthood - ages approximately 18 to 26 - is a critical period of development with long-lasting implications for a person's economic security, health and well-being. Young adults are key contributors to the nation's workforce and military services and, since many are parents, to the healthy development of the next generation. Although 'millennials' have received attention in the popular media in recent years, young adults are too rarely treated as a distinct population in policy, programs, and research. Instead, they are often grouped with adolescents or, more often, with all adults. Currently, the nation is experiencing economic restructuring, widening inequality, a rapidly rising ratio of older adults, and an increasingly diverse population. The possible transformative effects of these features make focus on young adults especially important. A systematic approach to understanding and responding to the unique circumstances and needs of today's young adults can help to pave the way to a more productive and equitable tomorrow for young adults in particular and our society at large. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults describes what is meant by the term young adulthood, who young adults are, what they are doing, and what they need. This study recommends actions that nonprofit programs and federal, state, and local agencies can take to help young adults make a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood. According to this report, young adults should be considered as a separate group from adolescents and older adults. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults makes the case that increased efforts to improve high school and college graduate rates and education and workforce development systems that are more closely tied to high-demand economic sectors will help this age group achieve greater opportunity and success. The report also discusses the health status of young adults and makes recommendations to develop evidence-based practices for young adults for medical and behavioral health, including preventions. What happens during the young adult years has profound implications for the rest of the life course, and the stability and progress of society at large depends on how any cohort of young adults fares as a whole. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults will provide a roadmap to improving outcomes for this age group as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.

In America's increasingly diverse society, it is imperative that mental health providers prioritize the development of their cultural competence to assure that they are equipped to meet the needs of their clients. Cultural Considerations in Latino American Mental Health offers a broad array of perspectives from clinicians and researchers actively working with racially and ethnically diverse populations. This book addresses psychosocial cultural issues that impact the mental health of the growing Latino American population. Topics discussed include relevant socio-demographic variables for Latinos and the implications of the steadily increasing Latino population in the United States; cultural values, acculturation, and acculturative stress in the lives of Latino adolescents; culturally responsive intervention of depression in Latino adolescents; depression across the lifespan; and cultural factors in the development of substance abuse issues in the Latino adolescent population. This book is a must-read for mental health clinicians, students, community workers, school counselors, and nurses who work with diverse populations.

Table of contents

Acculturation is a process of adjusting to a new language, new customs and norms, unfamiliar rules and laws, and lifestyle changes. Hispanics whom have immigrated to our country make up a substantial part of our population and are likely experiencing the acculturation process. The immigrant paradox suggests that in spite of the low socioeconomic status experienced by many acculturating Hispanics, physical health and mortality outcomes are better than those of non- Hispanic whites. However, studies looking at the relationship between acculturation and mental health have been less clear. Numerous studies on acculturation have shown inconsistent results, some of which point to acculturation and positive mental health outcomes and others that point to acculturation and negative mental health outcomes. Some researchers suggest that having a bicultural identity, that is, identifying with both one's origin and host culture smoothes the acculturation process and is a protective factor against negative mental health outcomes. Risk factors exist as well, particularly perceived discrimination, which can increase stress levels related to acculturation and negatively impact mental health. This study uses data collected from the MUSIC study to analyze the relationship between ethnic and American identities, discrimination, and depression among college students. Results revealed no relationship between ethnic and American identities and depression; however, discrimination was significantly related to depression among Hispanics. The experience of discrimination was also found to be worse for Hispanic men than Hispanic women.