Mental Health in Latinx Emerging Adults during COVID-19: Results from an Online Community Sample

• In Event: Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Topic - Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Abstract

The current study develops a nuanced understanding on the mental health (MH) of Latinx young adults (18-25 years old) from immigrant families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Latinx young adults have high rates of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance use, with burden higher for those experiencing immigration stress (Garcini et al., 2016). COVID-19 has perpetuated MH disparities, worsened social disadvantage, and delayed important developmental milestones (Rodriguez-Diaz et al., 2020). This trend is alarming because Latinx young adults also experience sociocultural stressors associated with systemic racism (Benuto & Leany, 2018; Cobb et al., 2017), have low rates of health insurance (Berchick et al., 2018; Rodriguez-Diaz et al., 2020), and are less able to access or pay for COVID-19 treatment or testing (Ali et al., 2020). Additionally, they are often forced into low-paying and less stable jobs (Orrenius & Zavodny, 2011), crowded living conditions (McConnel, 2015), and are employed in essential work settings that cannot be completed remotely (Dyal, 2020). For these reasons, it is critical to understand how COVID-19 has affected the MH and wellbeing of Latinx young adults. We examined how COVID-19 experiences (e.g., job loss, food insecurity, etc.) varied by nativity (US born vs. foreign born) and how these experiences shaped the mental health of Latinx young adults during the pandemic.

Data were drawn from an online study that assessed the MH of Latinx young adults in Central Texas (Latinx Wellness Study; n = 117). The surveys were completed starting March 2020 and ended in September 2020. Eligible participants of the wellness study were a community sample of 18-25 year olds who identified as Latinx/Hispanic and reported having at least one foreign-born parent. All participants completed a demographics questionnaire (e.g., age, gender, foreign-born status) and standardized instruments that measured MH status (e.g., serious psychological distress using the Kessler 6, depression and anxiety symptoms), and how COVID-19 affected their daily lives and MH. Analyses examined differences in COVID-19 experiences by nativity as well as associations between these experiences and mental health status.

Preliminary analyses show that at the height of the pandemic, 20% reported experiencing depression/anxiety because of the pandemic, and nearly 20% reported having severe psychological distress, an indicator of clinical MH need. In bivariate tests, we did not find differences in COVID-19 experiences and MH outcomes between foreign-born and US-born young adults. However, COVID-19 experiences overall were associated with higher risk of serious psychological distress as a result of depression, anxiety, and relationship loss.

As the pandemic continues to alter daily life, these findings point to the importance of increasing efforts to support the MH of Latinx young adults. Culturally relevant virtual interventions that promote MH screenings and access to treatment may help ameliorate their growing MH needs.

Authors

• Kevin Wagner, University of Texas at Austin
  Presenting Author

• Alice Villatoro, University of Texas at Austin
  Non-Presenting Author

• Monique Vasquez, University of Texas at Austin
  Non-Presenting Author

• Deliana Garcia, other
  Non-Presenting Author

• V. Nelly Salgado de Snyder, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Mexico
  Non-Presenting Author

• Carmen Valdez, University of Texas at Austin
  Non-Presenting Author