Date of Award

Summer 2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Torres, Lucas

Second Advisor

de St. Aubin, Ed.

Third Advisor

Saunders, Stephen

Abstract

Research examining the discriminatory experiences of Latinx women in minimal. The present study examined if various forms of discrimination predicted mental health symptoms in a sample of Latinx women, with the conceptualization of chronic discrimination as a possible form of trauma. There is evidence showing that Latinx individuals are at risk to develop posttraumatic stress disorder at higher rates than their non-Hispanic White counterparts, with many studies pointing to the experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination as a significant contributor (Kaczkurkin, Asnaani, Hall-Clark, Peterson, Yarvis, & Foa, 2016). Given the multiple forms of discrimination that women of color experience, ethnic discrimination, sexism, and sexual objectification were assessed as forms of discrimination. These variables were examined for their relationship to psychological distress and PTSD symptoms. Marianismo, traditional Latinx cultural gender roles, was examined as a moderator for discrimination and mental health symptoms. A community sample of Latinx women (N = 132) were recruited to complete self-report surveys. Ethnic discrimination was found to be a robust predictor of both PTSD symptoms and psychological distress. Sexual objectification predicted PTSD symptoms above and beyond other variables, while sexism was found to predict psychological distress above and beyond other variables in a series of hierarchical regressions. Marianismo was not a significant moderator for discrimination and mental health symptoms. This study aimed to expand on the intersectional experiences of Latinx women and the relationship to mental health symptoms. Support was found for the relationship between discriminatory experiences and symptoms of PTSD as well as psychological distress.

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