Ethnic discrimination, sexism, and depression among Latinx women: The roles of anxiety sensitivity and expressive suppression.

Abstract

Latinx women are twice as likely to experience depression compared to Latinx men. Latinx women are also subjected to heightened stress in the form of ethnic and sexist discrimination. Limited research has sought to explore variables that may have explanatory roles between discrimination and mental health outcomes among women of color. The current study tested whether anxiety sensitivity and expressive suppression uniquely link discrimination and depression for Latinx women. This cross-sectional study included 246 Latinx women primarily of Mexican descent (n = 173) recruited from community events and Mechanical Turk. On average, participants were 36.29 years old (SD = 12.61, range = 18–72). Participants completed several self-report measures on ethnic discrimination (Brief Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire), sexism (Schedule of Sexist Events), anxiety sensitivity (Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3), expressive suppression (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire—Suppression), and depression (Brief Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression). Using the PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2013), two parallel mediation analyses examined whether discrimination had an indirect effect via anxiety sensitivity and expressive suppression on depression. Anxiety sensitivity (indirect effect = .65, SE = .24, 95% CI [.21, 1.15]) and expressive suppression (indirect effect = .25, SE = .13, 95% CI [.07, .56]) uniquely linked ethnic discrimination and depression. Anxiety sensitivity (indirect effect = .66, SE = .21, 95% CI [.29, 1.13]) uniquely linked sexist discrimination and depression symptoms, while expressive suppression did not (indirect effect = .13, SE = .10, 95% CI [−.001, .40]). Anxiety sensitivity linked both ethnic and sexist discrimination with depression; however, expressive suppression only linked ethnic discrimination and depression. Evidence suggests that there are different links to depression depending on the type of discrimination for Latinx women.

Racial Stress and Trauma and the Development of Adolescent Depression: A Review of the Role of Vigilance Evoked by Racism-Related Threat

“…64 Likewise, avoidant coping strategies in response to racial discrimination, such as expressive suppression of negative emotion or acceptance and resignation, are associated with increased avoidance symptoms of trauma (dissociation, emotional numbing) following racial discrimination. 65,66 Although additional research is needed in youth, avoidant coping in response to chronic racism-related stress has been shown to increase risk for depression among Latina and Black adults, 67,68 which is consistent with developmental models that show that expressive suppression 69 and blunted emotional responding 70 are strong predictors of youth depression.…”

An intersectional and social determinants of health framework for understanding Latinx psychological distress in 2020: Disentangling the effects of immigration policy and practices, the Trump Administration, and COVID-19-specific factors.

“…Another variable in December 2019 tapped into Latinxs’ perceptions of the Trump Administration’s impacts on Hispanics, and another is a more general evaluation of the situation of Hispanics in the country. Perceptions of anti-Hispanic discrimination are linked with psychological well-being, before and during the pandemic (Jamieson et al, 2021; Mata-Greve & Torres, 2020; Santos et al, 2021). A discrimination scale based on five items collected in 2019, such as reporting that the respondent “been called offensive names because you are Hispanic” and “personally experienced any other kind of discrimination or been treated unfairly because of your Hispanic background” was coded consistently (i.e., higher scores were more discrimination) then summed and included in the analysis.…”

Women, Stress and Coping With Tiktok

“…Some researchers have considered this strategy a hindrance to the communication process, stating that the lack of expressive behaviour and responsiveness within social context would falter relational closeness and connectedness (Butlers & Egloff, 2003). But other researchers have pointed otherwise; for instance, expressive suppression has been found to help manage intense emotions during emotional events, prevent memory errors, and preserve social relationships and harmony (Sun & Nolan, 2021;Mata-Greve & Torres, 2020;Moore & Zoellner, 2012).…”