The Effect of Bias Victimization on Mental Health Outcomes among Latinx Adults

• In Event: Bias Victimization and Hate Crimes Affecting Communities across the U.S

Abstract

The aim of the study was to understand the effects of bias victimization and hate crime on mental health outcomes among the Latinx community using self-reported data. 910 Latinx adults from Boston, San Diego, and Houston were recruited through partnerships with community agencies and self-selection during local Latinx-focused events through the Spring and Summer of 2018. The survey evaluated experiences with hate crime, bias victimization, and non-bias victimization experiences in their lifetime and past year. Additional cultural factors were also measured such as immigration status, acculturation, acculturative stress, and self-perceived accent.52.9% of the sample reported experiencing a bias victimization (hate crime or non-criminal bias) in their lifetime. Using sequential regressions, we found acculturative stress mediated the relationship between both hate crime and non-criminal bias events for anxiety, depression, and anger, while it only meditated the hate crime to dissociation relationship. Other non-bias victimization was associated with mental health outcomes but not mediated by acculturative stress. The results support the notion that acculturative stress is the mechanism connecting bias victimization to mental health outcomes. This effect is unique to bias victimization and not victimization generally pointing to the importance of targeted prevention and intervention efforts for victims of bias victimization.

Authors

• Jesenia Robles, Northeastern University

• Carlos A. Cuevas, Northeastern University

• Amy Farrell, Northeastern University

• Sheldon Zhang, University of Massachusetts Lowell

• Jeff Temple, The University of Texas Medical Branch