(PS10-22) Discrimination & Internalizing Disorders in Latinx Youth: An Examination of the Influence of the Cultural Values of Self-reliance and Competition

Internalizing disorders (i.e., depression and anxiety) are the most common mental health disorders in Latinx youth with Latinx youth showing higher rates of internalizing symptoms than their non-Latinx peers (Ramos et al., 2021; McLaughlin et al., 2007). Latinx youth are also vulnerable to experiencing discrimination with approximately 56% of Latinx youth reporting at least one discriminatory experience by the time they are 12 years old (Zeiders et al., 2018). Discrimination has been linked to high rates of internalizing disorders among Latinx youth (Bennett et al., 2020). To better understand this association and inform culturally sensitive targets of intervention, it is important to consider how Latinx youth’s cultural values impact Latinx youth’s experiences with discrimination and its relation to their risk for internalizing disorders. It is well-established that traditional Latinx cultural factors (e.g., familismo) influence this relation, yet little is known about how other cultural factors (e.g., self-reliance and competition) serve as risk or protective factors in this context (Bennett et al., 2020). Of note, higher levels of self-reliance and competition have been linked to increased internalizing symptoms in non-Latinx youth and self-reliance has been shown to be an important predictor of mental health service utilization in Latinx populations (Labouliere et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2022; Ortega et al., 2002). This presentation will, thus, examine how the cultural factors of self-reliance and competition are related to these constructs and their relations in Latinx youth. To do this, data from a study examining the relation between Latinx teens’ lived experiences and their mood (n = 50) will be analyzed via multiple linear regression analysis. Data from participants’ responses to the Mexican American Cultural Values Scales, Every day Discrimination Scale, Children’s Depression Inventory-2, and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorder will be used in analyses. Theoretically relevant covariates (e.g., age, sex, income) will be derived from the demographic questionnaire. Hypotheses will be tested via significant main effects and interactions, and simple slope analysis will be used to test and plot significant interaction effects. Based on the existing literature, we expect that Latinx youth with more experiences of discrimination will report more internalizing experiences. Given the novelty of our focus on the cultural values of self-reliance and competition in Latinx youth, these results will be exploratory. This study will address a critical gap in identifying novel cultural factors that influence Latinx youth’s risk for internalizing disorders. This information will help us learn more about how to better support Latinx youth’s mental health and development through culturally-informed interventions.