Challenges of Latino young men and women: Examining the role of gender in discrimination and mental health

Abstract Research shows that ethnic-racial discrimination has a negative impact on individuals' mental health, specifically contributing to high rates of depression. The Latino population often experiences discrimination in the larger U.S. society. This has been especially true in recent years given the overall hostile climate toward Latinos in the U.S., with Latino young men often being portrayed negatively by the media, making them the most common targets of ethnic-racial discrimination and hostility. This study examined association between gender, perceived ethnic discrimination, and depressive symptoms by examining gender as both a potential risk factor and as a moderator. Two hundred fifty seven Latino young adults participated in the current cross-sectional study. The majority of participants experienced some perceived discrimination, and depressive symptoms were very high for both women and men. Our findings supported the hypothesis indicating that being a Latino male was a risk factor for experiencing more perceived discrimination, which in turn was associated with depressive symptoms. Gender did not significantly moderate an association between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that special attention should be paid to young Latino men who may be at increased risk for depression given the high instances of perceived discrimination they experience. The implications of these findings are further discussed and special recommendations for those working with Latino youth are specified.