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Racialization and Psychological Distress among U.S. Latinxs

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Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between race and psychological distress among Latinxs in the United States. Using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2010-2018, we estimated the relative risk ratios (RRR) of experiencing psychological distress among White, Black and Other Latinxs from Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Results revealed that Black Latinxs experienced higher levels of psychological distress than their White counterparts. Additional analysis among and within groups showed that Puerto Ricans and Dominicans reported higher psychological distress than Mexicans, and that race was associated with the distress of Cubans and Mexicans, but not with the distress of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. Future work on the effect of racial self-identification on Latinxs’ mental health-related outcomes, such as psychological distress, should include multidimensional measures of racial identity, such as self-reported and ascribed race, racial ideology, as well as measures of skin color and discrimination. Integrating racialization experiences during clinical assessments would help practitioners to gain a more comprehensive picture of how these identities and experiences may shape the stress, distress, and mental health outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety) of different racial and ethnic Latinx groups in the U.S.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Boston University Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health, Crosstown Center, 3rd Floor 801 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Victor Figuereo

  2. School of Social Work, Boston College, McGuinn Hall 304, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA

    Rocío Calvo

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  1. Victor Figuereo
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  2. Rocío Calvo
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Correspondence to Rocío Calvo.

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Author Victor Figuereo declares that he has no conflict of interest. Author Rocío Calvo declares that she has no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with animals or human participants performed by any of the authors.

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Figuereo, V., Calvo, R. Racialization and Psychological Distress among U.S. Latinxs. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 9, 865–873 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-021-01026-3

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