Contextualizing experiences of cultural stress: A qualitative exploration among Hispanic/Latinx youth in Miami and Los Angeles.

OBJECTIVES: Hispanic/Latinx youth vary in their immigration heritage (e.g., country of origin, familial migration history, etc.) and the structure of their communities. This study is a qualitative exploration of Hispanic/Latinx youth experiences of cultural stress in Miami and Los Angeles in 2021. METHOD: A total of 23 Hispanic/Latinx adolescents in Los Angeles (n = 12) and Miami (n = 11) provided in-depth interviews to assess: (a) appraisals of family immigration history and (b) experiences across three cultural stressors: sociopolitical, language brokering, and intragroup marginalization. Interviews were analyzed using a general inductive analytic approach and case comparison methodology to assess differences across sites. RESULTS: For appraisals of family immigration history, gratitude and hope emerged as positive emotions experienced when youth reflected on their immigrant origins. Miami participants reported perceived worsening of sociopolitical stress as a result of changes in political administration whereas participants in Los Angeles felt a sense of relief. Participants in Miami and Los Angeles reported similar strengths and challenges in language brokering with COVID-19 variedly impacting youth's perceived language brokering stress. Last, to youth intragroup marginalization experienced from family members was experienced as more detrimental than from peers, and they reported the use of cognitive reframes to cope. CONCLUSION: Cultural stressors are dynamic and diverse. This study further informs cultural stress theory by cataloging how families' immigration history and national current events inform experiences of stress among youth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Disentangling the directionality among cultural stressors and psychosocial outcomes in recently immigrated Hispanic families: A random intercept cross-lagged panel model approach.

Research shows the impact of cultural stressors (e.g. perceived discrimination, bicultural stressors, negative context of reception) on adolescents' psychosocial outcomes. Given the presence of multiple cultural stressors in many Hispanic adolescents' lives, it is essential to examine the (a) developmental sequencing of cultural stressors among recent immigrant youth and (b) predictive effects of cultural stressors on adolescents' psychosocial outcomes. We employed a random intercept cross-lagged panel model to examine the longitudinal interplay among cultural stressors and their effects on youth outcomes using longitudinal data with six waves among 302 recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents (47% girls, Mage = 14.51, SD = .88). We observed bidirectional within-person relations and between-person associations among cultural stressors. At the within-person level, bidirectional cross-lagged effects emerged between perceived discrimination and bicultural stress, between perceived discrimination and negative context of reception, and between negative context of reception and bicultural stress. At the between-person level, bidirectional cross-lagged effects emerged only between perceived discrimination and bicultural stressors. Our findings indicate that cultural stressors explain heterogeneity in psychosocial outcomes: self-esteem was inversely predicted by all cultural stressors, whereas depressive symptoms were predicted only by perceived discrimination. In addition, optimism was predicted only by bicultural stressors, and externalizing behavior was predicted by both bicultural stressors and perceived discrimination. These results suggest that the longitudinal relationships among cultural stressors are (partly) bidirectional. Additionally, cultural stressors demonstrated differential predictive effects on psychosocial outcomes, indicating the added value of considering multiple cultural stressors and their longitudinal effects on adolescents' psychosocial outcomes.

The 123s and affective, behavioral, and cognitives of unaccompanied Latinx Minors: A trauma-informed composite case study.

OBJECTIVES: This article explores the stages where trauma is experienced (123s) and its physiopsychological impact (affect, behavior, and cognitions [ABCs]) in unaccompanied Latinx Minors through the analysis of a composite case study. Unaccompanied Latinx Minors represent a unique and growing population in the United States that warrants careful consideration from a trauma-informed and resilience-based framework. METHOD: A detailed case study was implemented, triangulating caregiver and client therapy records to illustrate the framework of stages of trauma exposure (123s) and physiopsychological impact (ABCs). RESULTS: Latinx children often encounter various potentially traumatic experiences and adverse childhood experiences at the following stages (123s): (1) Preimmigration; (2) During immigration; and (3) Postimmigration. The extended traumas experienced by immigrant youth may easily constitute toxic stress. Moreover, once in the destination country, youth may lack coping resources or encounter stressful circumstances that prolong or exacerbate the impact of previous traumas. This continuous physiological hyperarousal can also result in changes in brain neurobiology, which further compounds the experience of other symptoms (Krupnik, 2021). These potentially complex trauma responses may manifest for these children through ABCs. The cumulative impact of these incidents may have significant effects on minors' A. Affective, B. Behavioral, and C. Cognitive functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Relevant clinical implications and policy recommendations for addressing the multifaceted needs of unaccompanied Latinx minors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Cultural Stress Profiles: Describing Different Typologies of Migration Related and Cultural Stressors among Hispanic or Latino Youth.

Youth of immigrant origin vary across their families' migration history (e.g., country of heritage, reasons for migration, etc.) and in the communities in which they reside. As such, these youth are often faced with different cultural and immigrant stressors. Although prior research documented the detrimental impact of cultural and immigrant stressors, variable-centered approaches fail to account for the fact that these stressors often co-occur. Addressing this gap, the current study identified typologies of cultural stressors in Hispanic/Latino adolescents using latent profile analysis. Cultural stress profiles were derived using socio-political stress, language brokering, in-group identity threats, and within-group discrimination as indicators. The study was conducted in two sites (Los Angeles and Miami; total N = 306) during Spring and Summer 2020. A four-profile solution was identified: Low Cultural Stress (n = 94, 30.7%), Sociopolitical and Language Brokering Stress (n = 147, 48%), Sociopolitical and In-group Identity Threat Stress (n = 48, 15.7%), and Higher Stress (n = 17, 5.6%). Results indicate that profiles with stress were characterized by worse mental health symptoms, reporting higher means of depression, stress, and lower self-esteem, as well as by higher heritage cultural orientation compared to the low stress profile. Interventions designed to mitigate the deleterious effects of cultural stressors would benefit from adopting an individualized, tailored approach that addresses youth's stress profile membership.

Perceived Negative Political Climate Among Hispanic/Latino Adolescents Before and After the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election: Associations with Internalizing Symptoms and Substance Use.

The political climate often changes following the installment of a new president. This volatility presents opportunities for examining how elections might affect vulnerable subgroups such as Hispanic/Latino (HL) adolescents. The present study explored the perception of negative political climate among HL adolescents before and after the 2020 U.S. presidential election and its association with internalizing symptoms and substance use. We conducted the study in Los Angeles and Miami between 2020-2021, with a sample of 304 HL adolescents (Females = 60.8%), aged 15.3 years on average. Participants completed measures of negative political climate (pre- post-election) and measures of depressive symptoms, anxiety, substance misuse, and substance use intentions after the election. We used paired tests and linear mixed-effects modeling to explore changes in perceived negative climate before and after the election. Structural equation modeling was used to determine predictors of negative political climate and its associations with internalizing symptoms and substance use. Results indicated that following the election negative political climate increased significantly in Miami and among Cuban-origin adolescents but not in Los Angeles or among Mexican-origin adolescents. Pre-election perceived negative political climate was significantly predicted by gender, study site, and mother's nativity. Pre-election negative political climate predicted post-election internalizing symptoms and substance use intentions indirectly through post-election negative political climate. HL youth's perceived political climate is a complex construct that might vary across different sociopolitical contexts and populational sub-groups. Exploring variations in politically-based cultural stressors and their role as mental health and substance use risk factors is crucial to addressing HL disparities. KEY WORDS: Adolescence, Hispanic/Latino, political climate, presidential election, internalizing symptoms, substance use.

Crisis Migration Adverse Childhood Events: A New Category of Youth Adversity for Crisis Migrant Children and Adolescents.

The present article proposes an extension of the concept of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to apply to crisis migration - where youth and families are fleeing armed conflicts, natural disasters, community violence, government repression, and other large-scale emergencies. We propose that adverse events occurring prior to, during, and following migration can be classified as crisis-migration-related ACEs, and that the developmental logic underlying ACEs can be extended to the new class of crisis-migration-related ACEs. Specifically, greater numbers, severity, and chronicity of crisis-migration-related ACEs would be expected to predict greater impairments in mental and physical health, poorer interpersonal relationships, and less job stability later on. We propose a research agenda centered around definitional clarity, rigorous measurement development, prospective longitudinal studies to establish predictive validity, and collaborations among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

Exploring Culturally Based Treatment Options for Opioid Use Disorders Among American Indian and Alaska Native Adults in California.

OBJECTIVE: American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities have been severely affected by the opioid epidemic, resulting in high opioid overdose death rates and disrupted community life. An added complexity is the diversity of AIAN communities throughout California, with regional differences, resources, infrastructure, and economic opportunities. This study examined the perspective of 163 AIANs in California to assess culturally based or traditional healing treatment modalities to treat opioid/substance use disorder. METHOD: A total of 21 adult focus groups were conducted throughout 10 counties in California reaching 20 urban and tribal communities. Eight of these focus groups were conducted in recovery centers and 13 focus groups were conducted in tribal and urban organizations. Interviews were transcribed and coded using NVivo software utilizing an iterative coding approach with a priori domains. RESULTS: Participants emphasized building a sense of belonging, connecting with their culture, and having awareness of substance use disorder and treatment as protective factors. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that medications for opioid use disorder programs serving AIAN communities should include cultural components that resonate with urban and tribal communities.

Cultural stress, daily well-being, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms among Hispanic college students.

The present study was designed to examine the extent to which, in a sample of 873 Hispanic college students, daily levels of, and variability in, well-being would mediate the predictive effects of culturally related stressors (discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress) on internalizing and externalizing symptoms 11 days later. A 12-day daily diary design was utilized, where reports of cultural stressors were gathered on Day 1, daily well-being reports were gathered on Days 2-11, and outcomes were measured on Day 12 (with controls for Day 1 levels of these same outcomes). Structural equation modeling results indicated that daily means of, and variability in, well-being significantly mediated the predictive effect of Day 1 ethnic/racial discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress on Day 12 symptoms of anxiety and depression. No effects emerged for externalizing symptoms. When we decomposed the latent well-being variability construct into its component indicators (self-esteem, life satisfaction, psychological well-being/self-acceptance, and eudaimonic well-being), daily variability in life satisfaction and self-acceptance appeared to be primarily responsible for the mediated predictive effects we observed. These results are discussed in terms of implications for further research, for counseling practice, and for the development of more inclusive university practices and policies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

An opioid and substance use disorder needs assessment study for American Indian and Alaska Native youth in California.

Objective: American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) youth demonstrate significant substance use and mental health disparities and represent a highly underserved population with regard to effective services. A community-based needs assessment study of urban and rural AIAN youth throughout California was conducted to inform the development of community-based, culturally relevant opioid and substance use services. This study examined AIAN youth experiences with opioid and other substance use disorders (OUD/SUD) in their communities, utilization of existing programs, and service system recommendations. Method: Fifteen focus groups were conducted in partnership with urban and rural/reservation health programs, and AIAN serving community-based organizations throughout California with youth ranging from 13 to 18 years of age. Focus groups were recorded and professionally transcribed, then coded using NVivo qualitative data analysis software. An a priori coding structure was refined through a data-informed, iterative process until a final coding structure was agreed upon to characterize data. Results: Findings demonstrate the need for OUD/SUD services that integrate cultural beliefs and practices, incorporate attention to family and community risk and resiliency factors, provide effective outreach and education, and focus on the development of holistic wellness and positive development for AIAN youth. This study also provides a model for conducting a needs assessment using community-based participatory methods to inform effective service development that more directly responds to community-identified needs. Conclusion: Findings indicate that future services and interventions should incorporate a focus on promoting overall wellness and positive youth development in order to prevent or promote recovery from opioid or other substance abuse. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Cultural Stress in the Age of Mass Xenophobia: Perspectives from Latin/o Adolescents.

During the last four years, xenophobic rhetoric directed toward Latino immigrants in U.S. media outlets and political forums has greatly increased. Using a general inductive approach, this qualitative study examined the forms of cultural stress, with a focus on discrimination and xenophobia, experienced by Latino adolescents in urban U.S. settings in 2018 and 2019. Six focus groups were conducted in Miami and Los Angeles (three groups per city) with first- and second-generation tenth-grade Latino students (n = 34). The following four themes emerged from the data: perceived discrimination from other Latino subgroups (in-group discrimination), perceived discrimination from non-Latino groups (out-group discrimination), internalization of stressors and discrimination experienced by participants' parents, and the current U.S. political rhetoric surrounding immigration. Understanding cultural stress among Latino adolescents provides valuable insight for future interventions to offset negative health outcomes associated with cultural stress.

Statewide collaborative partnerships among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities in California to target the opioid epidemic: Preliminary results of the Tribal Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) key informant needs assessment.

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities have disproportionately been impacted by the opioid epidemic with the second highest opioid-related overdose death rates compared to other ethnic groups. The diversity among California AI/AN tribes, including regional differences in economic opportunities, tribal affiliation and organization, resources and infrastructure, requires a strong community-based partnership approach to assess global statewide patterns in service availability, acceptability, and utilization, as well as capturing the unique challenges and service needs within each region. This article describes a statewide community-based needs assessment of strengths and weakness among key informants in CA to identify facilitators and barriers to treatment of substance use disorders (SUD) and opioid use disorders (OUD). We conducted structured interviews of 21 healthcare professionals from Urban Indian Health Programs, Tribal clinics and community-based organizations throughout California. The interview assessed (1) barriers to accessing services; (2) risk factors; (3) protective factors; (4) community substance use description; (5) SUD and OUD services available; and (6) service system needs. Findings indicate an overall increase in SUD and OUD in AI/AN communities. Key informants discussed the importance of comprehensive and culturally centered care, wrap-around services, such as treatment of mental health issues alongside substance abuse, and the need for AI/AN-specific treatment facilities that integrate traditional and cultural activities into western health services.