(Converted as ePoster, See Poster Gallery) Perceived Racial and Ethnic Discrimination, Depression, and Alcohol Use Intentions Among Inner-City Latinx Youth: Cross-Generational Effects

Background and Purpose: Alcohol use and depression among Latinx adolescents is a serious public health concern. Among the many social determinants linked to adolescent alcohol use and depression, racial and ethnic discrimination is prevalent among Latinx adolescents but rarely addressed in preventive interventions. This study estimated the influence of perceived racial and ethnic discrimination on depressive symptoms and alcohol use intentions among Latinx adolescents. In addition, the study evaluated cross-generational effects of racial and ethnic discrimination, namely, how maternal discriminatory experiences might affect the depressive symptoms and alcohol use of the adolescent. The study also explored nativity and sex differences in the discrimination-depression dynamics.

Methods: The sample consisted of 800 inner-city Dominican and Puerto Rican adolescent–mother dyads in South Bronx, New York City. The study used a five-wave panel design as youth transitioned from middle school to high school (i.e., two semesters of the 8^th grade, two semesters of the 9^th grade, and one semester of the 10^th grade). Adolescents' and mothers' perceived discrimination experiences at 8^th grade were used to predict their depressive symptoms prospectively. Adolescent alcohol use intentions at 10^th grade were the primary outcome in this study. Adolescents’ and mothers’ depressive symptoms measured by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) across five waves were used as mediators. Structural equation modeling (SEM) in the Mplus was used to test the hypothesized paths. Joint significance tests were used for mediation analysis, and multiple group analyses were used for testing interaction effects.

Results: The model has satisfactory model fit (Chi-Square Test of Model Fit: 91.027, df = 89, p = .421; RMSEA: 0.005; 90% CI: 0.000, 0.020; CFI: 1.000; SRMR: 0.024). Results showed that self-reported racial and ethnic discrimination experiences at 8^th grade by inner-city Latinx adolescents were associated with increases in their immediate and long-term depressive symptoms, which in turn were associated with stronger future intentions to use alcohol at 10^thgrade. Latinx mothers’ perceived racial and ethnic discrimination (at 8^th grade of adolescents) was associated with increases in adolescents’ future drinking intentions at 10^th grade through increased mothers’ depressive symptoms and, in turn, adolescents’ depressive symptoms. There were no statistically significant interaction effects found for sex and nativity status based on multiple-group analyses.

Conclusions and Implications: This study found both an immediate and persistent carryover influence of perceived racial and ethnic discrimination on adolescents’ depressive symptoms, which in turn, influences their alcohol use intentions. The study also found the negative influence of parents’ perceived racial and ethnic discrimination on adolescents’ depressive symptoms and alcohol use intentions through the mediation of mothers’ depressive symptoms. Prevention programs can provide inner-city Latinx adolescents and their mothers with better coping skills to cope with discriminatory stress and negative emotions to reduce the negative influences of discrimination on their mental health and shift from maladaptive stress coping (e.g., using alcohol) to more positive coping strategies.