The Effects of Discrimination and Social Isolation On Latino Day Laborers' Mental Health

Introduction. Day labor work is a growing national phenomenon comprised of predominately male and recent Latino immigrants, mainly from Mexico and Central America. Three-quarters of the day labor force is undocumented and live under the federal poverty threshold as work is seasonal and highly contingent on the weather and the local economy. Previous studies suggest that Latino day laborers (LDLs) may be at-risk for psychological distress as the confluence between the unregulated nature of day labor work and undocumented immigrant status places this population at heightened risk for workers' rights abuses, work-related injury and victimization. However, in spite of their exposure to significant health risks, little is known about the impact of day laborers' work and life conditions on their mental health. This study extends the literature by examining the relationship between psychosocial factors such as discrimination and social isolation with psychological distress among LDLs.

Methods.

The study utilized survey methods to examine the impact of psychosocial factors, identified through qualitative methods, on LDLs' psychological distress (Brief Symptoms Inventory-18; Derogatis, 2001).

The sample was recruited from the three largest day labor corners or public streets where workers congregate to look for work in Austin, TX. The sample included 147 participants of which 68% were born in Mexico, 31% in Central America and 1% were born in the United States. Participants generally reported lower levels of acculturation, less than a high school education, and the majority were married (59%) with their wives living in their country of origin.

Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the psychosocial factors associated to psychological distress. The predictor variables were selected based upon an earlier qualitative phase that asked LDLs to identify which factors impacted their well-being. To this end, discrimination, social isolation, acculturation, religiosity, age, and remittances were regressed on psychological distress.

Results.

The overall regression model was significant, Rē = .39, F (6, 110) = 11.9, p < .001. Results indicate that discrimination and social isolation were robust predictors of psychological distress among this sample of LDLs. Specifically, individuals who reported higher levels of discrimination (β = .45) and social isolation (β= .32) were more likely to report more psychological distress. Acculturation, religiosity, age and remittance had no effect on psychological distress.

Discussion.

The findings advance the field by identifying distinct psychosocial factors that impact psychological distress among a vulnerable population. The results suggest that discrimination and social isolation take a psychological toll on LDLs. Further, while acculturation and religiosity have been found to be associated to psychological distress among other Latino populations, these factors appear not to be as salient for the current sample of LDLs. Prevention efforts for this hard-to-reach population should provide LDLs with resources and active coping strategies to ameliorate the harmful effects of discrimination and social isolation.