Ethnic-Racial discrimination experiences predict Latinx adolescents' physiological stress processes across college transition

Michael R Sladek; Saul A Castro; Leah D Doane

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105212

Ethnic-Racial discrimination experiences predict Latinx adolescents' physiological stress processes across college transition

Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Jun:128:105212. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105212. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Authors

Michael R Sladek¹, Saul A Castro², Leah D Doane³

Affiliations

¹ Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, United States. Electronic address: michael_sladek@gse.harvard.edu.
² Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, United States. Electronic address: saul.castro@asu.edu.
³ Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, United States. Electronic address: lddoane@asu.edu.

PMID: 33933893
DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105212

Abstract

Consistent with conceptual frameworks of ethnic-race-based stress responses, and empirical evidence for the detrimental effects of ethnic-racial discrimination, the current study hypothesized that experiencing more frequent ethnic-racial discrimination during adolescence would predict differences in physiological responses to psychosocial stress across the college transition. U.S. Latinx adolescents (N = 84; M_age = 18.56; SD = 0.35; 63.1% female; 85.7% Mexican descent) completed survey measures of ethnic-racial discrimination during their final year of high school and first college semester (~5 months later), as well as a standard psychosocial stressor task during their first college semester. Repeated blood pressure and salivary cortisol measures were recorded to assess cardiovascular and neuroendocrine activity at baseline and stress reactivity and recovery. Data were analyzed using multilevel growth models. Experiencing more frequent ethnic-racial discrimination in high school, specifically from adults, predicted higher baseline physiological stress levels and lower reactivity to psychosocial stress during the first college semester, evidenced by both blood pressure and cortisol measures. Experiencing ethnic-racial discrimination from peers in high school also predicted higher baseline blood pressure in college, but not stress reactivity indices. Results were consistent when controlling for concurrent reports of ethnic-racial discrimination, gender, parents' education level, body mass index, oral contraceptive use, time between longitudinal assessments, depressive symptoms, and general perceived stress. Experiencing frequent ethnic-racial discrimination during adolescence may lead to overburdening stress response systems, indexed by lower cardiovascular and neuroendocrine stress reactivity. Multiple physiological stress systems are sensitive to the consequences of ethnic-racial discrimination among Latinx adolescents transitioning to college.

Keywords: Adolescents; Cardiovascular; Cortisol; Ethnic-Racial discrimination; Latinx; Stress reactivity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Emotional Adjustment* / physiology
Female
Hispanic or Latino* / psychology
Hispanic or Latino* / statistics & numerical data
Humans
Hydrocortisone / analysis
Male
Racism* / psychology
Saliva / chemistry
Stress, Physiological* / physiology
Students / psychology
Students / statistics & numerical data
Universities

Substances

Hydrocortisone