Temporal Orientation and the Association Between Adverse Life Events and Internalizing Symptoms in Vietnamese American and European American Adolescents.

Adverse life events are associated with greater internalizing symptoms. However, prior research has identified cross-cultural variation in whether and to what extent factors amplify or buffer the impact of these stressors. Broadly defined as the tendency to focus on past, present, or future events, temporal orientation is a dispositional factor that is culturally influenced and may explain variance in internalizing symptoms following adverse events. Cultural congruence, or the degree to which a factor is considered normative in an individual's culture, may be an important explanation of variation in levels of risk. The current study examines how culturally congruent temporal orientation differentially impacts the relation between adverse life events and internalizing symptoms in a longitudinal sample of 10th and 11th grade Vietnamese American (n = 372) and European American adolescents (n = 304). Results indicated that Vietnamese American adolescents endorsed significantly higher levels of past and present, but not future, temporal orientation compared to European American adolescents. Among both Vietnamese and European American adolescents, past temporal orientation was positively associated with internalizing symptoms and adverse life events. Findings also demonstrated that the influence of present temporal orientation on the relation between adverse life events and internalizing symptoms was further moderated by ethnicity, such that present temporal orientation buffered risk for negative outcomes among European Americans but not Vietnamese Americans. These data highlight the importance of measuring and testing specific dimensions of culturally relevant processes when considering responses to adverse life events.

Fatalism and Psychological Distress Among Chinese American Breast Cancer Survivors: Mediating Role of Perceived Self-control and Fear of Cancer Recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Extant literature on the relationship between cancer fatalism and psychological distress among Chinese American breast cancer survivors has been mixed, and few studies have examined potential mediators of this relationship. The current study examined how cancer fatalism is associated with psychological distress by investigating perceived personal control and fear of cancer recurrence as mediators, and acculturation as a moderator of these relationships. METHOD: A total of 220 Chinese American women diagnosed with stage 0-III breast cancer were recruited from California cancer registries and completed a telephone survey. The measurement of cancer fatalism examined one's view of health as a result of destiny. Validated measures of psychological distress (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms), fear of cancer recurrence, and perceived personal control were used. Acculturation was defined by English proficiency, preferred interview language, and number of years lived in the USA. RESULTS: Higher cancer fatalism was directly associated with greater depressive and anxiety symptoms after controlling for covariates. This association was also mediated by higher fear of cancer recurrence, but not by perceived control. The mediation was not moderated by acculturation. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that Chinese American breast cancer survivors' fatalistic beliefs may exacerbate fear of cancer recurrence, and, in turn, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Fear of recurrence was more salient than perceived control in their associations with psychological distress among Chinese American cancer survivors. Future intervention research may adopt cognitive approaches to alter Chinese survivors' fatalistic views of health outcomes to reduce their psychological distress.

Gratitude and psychological distress among first-year college students: The mediating roles of perceived social support and support provision.

Universities and colleges in the United States implemented remote learning and restrictions on in-person social events during the Fall 2020 academic semester. These changes and restrictions, in addition to the other numerous negative impacts of COVID-19, can exacerbate the already stressful transition from high school to college. This transition is a key developmental period during which the complexity of interpersonal relationships and the risk of internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression increase. As such, the present study examined dispositional gratitude as a protective factor against depressive symptoms and loneliness among a sample of first-year college students who began college during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined whether perceived social support and support provision mediated these relationships. Participants were 364 first-year college students who completed three online surveys during the 1st (T1), 7th (T2), and 14th (T3) weeks of the Fall 2020 academic semester. T1 gratitude was associated with lower T3 depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness over time. These relationships were mediated by T2 perceived social support but not by T2 support provision. Implications of our findings are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Microaggressions and general health among Black and Asian Americans: The moderating role of cognitive reappraisal.

OBJECTIVES: The present study has two aims: (a) to examine the frequency of various microaggression types experienced by Asian and Black Americans and (b) to examine cognitive reappraisal as a moderator of the relationship between microaggression types and general health. METHOD: Two hundred seventy-one Black and Asian American participants recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk completed a cross-sectional online survey. The Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale was used to assess the frequency with which participants experienced six different types of microaggressions. Cognitive reappraisal was assessed by the cognitive reappraisal subscale of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. General health was assessed by the RAND 36-item Short Form Health Survey. RESULTS: We found that Black Americans experienced higher levels of Inferiority, Criminality, Workplace/School Microaggressions and Microinvalidations than Asian Americans. In contrast, Asian Americans experienced greater Exoticization and Environmental Microaggressions. There were ethnic/racial group differences in whether cognitive reappraisal moderated the relationships between microaggression types and general health. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight important differences in the types of microaggressions experienced across ethnic/racial groups, and the role of cognitive reappraisal in influencing the detrimental effects of microaggressions on general health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

How discrimination experiences relate to racial/ethnic identity and mental health across first- and second-generation Vietnamese American adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: Racial/ethnic discrimination has been linked to behavioral and emotional problems in youth from marginalized groups. However, the psychological experience associated with discrimination may differ between immigrant and nonimmigrant youth. Race-based discrimination may impact an adolescent's view of their own group (private regard) and/or their sense of how others view their group (public regard). Owing to differences in racialization, immigrant adolescents may be affected differently by experiences of discrimination than their U.S.-born peers. The present study examined whether nativity moderated the paths from racial/ethnic discrimination to private and public regard to mental health problems among Vietnamese American youth. METHOD: Surveys were completed by 718 Vietnamese American 10th and 11th graders (Mage = 15.54 years, 61.4% female, 38.6% male). In this sample, 21.2% were first-generation (i.e., born outside of the United States) and 78.8% were second-generation (i.e., born in the United States with at least one parent born outside of the United States). RESULTS: Multigroup path analysis tested the direct and indirect effects of racial/ethnic discrimination on behavioral and emotional problems via private and public regard and whether associations differed for first- versus second-generation youth. Racial/ethnic discrimination was associated with lower public regard, but not private regard, for both first- and second-generation Vietnamese American youth. Public regard was negatively associated with behavioral and emotional problems only among second-generation youth. No indirect effects were significant. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest differences in racialized experiences, as well as opportunities to support second-generation Vietnamese American and other marginalized youth from immigrant families from the mental health impacts of discrimination. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Longitudinal Relations between Emotion Restraint Values, Life Stress, and Internalizing Symptoms among Vietnamese American and European American Adolescents.

Objective: Recent research has documented cultural differences in the extent and manner in which various forms of emotion regulation are linked with psychological well-being. Most of these studies, however, have been cross-sectional, nor have they directly examined the values underlying the use of emotion regulation. The present study examined emotion restraint values and their interactions with life stress in predicting internalizing symptoms across time among Vietnamese American and European American adolescents. The study focused on adolescence as a critical developmental period during which life stress and internalizing symptoms increase significantly. Method: Vietnamese American (n = 372) and European American (n = 304) adolescents' levels of emotion restraint values, internalizing symptoms, and stress were assessed at two timepoints six months apart. Results: Results indicated differential associations between emotion restraint values, stress, and symptoms over time for the two groups. For Vietnamese American adolescents, emotion restraint values did not predict depressive, anxiety, or somatic symptoms. For European American adolescents, emotion restraint values predicted higher somatic symptoms but buffered against the effects of interpersonal stress on anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: These results provide increased understanding of the role of values related to emotion restraint in shaping adolescent internalizing symptoms and responses to stress across cultural groups. Implications of the findings for guiding intervention efforts are discussed.

When and how supporting others can improve life satisfaction: A longitudinal study examining collectivistic values.

Objectives: Individuals who support others reap mental health benefits from this act. Recent studies have identified individual differences in other-oriented processes that shift who benefits the most from support giving. Yet existing studies have examined people from individualistic societies (e.g., United States), and whether these findings extend to individuals from collectivistic societies (e.g., China) remain unknown. Moreover, little is known about the pathways through which support giving may lead to higher life satisfaction. With a sample of Chinese international students, we examined how individual differences in collectivistic values (i.e., face concerns and prosocial motivations) shift the impact of support giving to close others on life satisfaction. We also examined the underlying role of positive and negative emotions. Method: One hundred seventy-eight Chinese international students completed online baseline and 2-month follow-up surveys. Results: Emotional support giving, but not instrumental support giving, was associated with greater life satisfaction through increased positive and reduced negative emotions over time. The mediation pathways were moderated by face concerns such that the indirect effects of both positive and negative emotions were significant only among those with high face concerns and not among those with low face concerns. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the mental health benefits of support giving are shaped by the cultural values of the individual. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Comparing the effects of emotional disclosure and peer helping writing on psychological distress among Chinese international students: The moderating role of rumination.

OBJECTIVES: This study tested the effects of emotional disclosure writing and peer helping writing in reducing psychological distress among Chinese international students. This study also examined whether rumination and ambivalence over emotion expression moderated the effects of emotional disclosure and peer helping writing. METHOD: One hundred forty-four Chinese international students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: emotional disclosure, peer helping, or neutral control writing. Participants completed two 20-min writing sessions and questionnaires at baseline, 2-month follow-up, and 4-month follow-up. RESULTS: We found no significant differences across the three writing conditions in levels of psychological distress over time. However, rumination emerged as a significant moderator in both emotional disclosure and peer helping intervention conditions. High ruminators generally experienced significant reductions in depressive symptoms, whereas low ruminators experienced increased depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that the benefits of writing interventions may vary as a function of rumination.

The associations of self-stigma, social constraints, and sleep among Chinese American breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: The aim of the current study was to examine the incidence of poor sleep quality, medication use, and dysfunction and the association of self-stigma and perceived social constraints (i.e., ambivalence over emotional expression; AEE) on sleep among a sample of Chinese American breast cancer survivors. METHODS: The data were based on self-report baseline data (n = 136) from an expressive writing intervention study for Chinese American breast cancer survivors (MTime since diagnosis = 27.17 months; SD = 19.31). Participants completed self-report questionnaires related to psychological and physical health and health behaviors. Using linear regression and path modeling, our hypotheses were tested using models where (1) self-stigma predicted sleep characteristics (i.e., quality, medication use, and dysfunction) with (2) AEE mediating the relationship between self-stigma and sleep. RESULTS: Participants frequently reported poor sleep quality (44.9%), use of sleep aids (37.5%), and difficulty staying awake during the day (37.5%). Greater self-stigma was related to greater AEE (b = .48, SE = .09, p < .05), which was related to worse sleep quality (b = - .19, SE = .08, p < .05), greater use of sleep aids (b = .25, SE = .11, p < .05), and greater difficulty staying awake during the day (b = .30, SE = .09, p < .05). Further, the indirect effect of self-stigma on sleep quality (ab = - .09, 95% CI - .19, - .03), use of sleep aids (ab = .12, 95% CI .03, .25), and difficulty staying awake during the day (ab = .15, 95% CI .06, .18) through AEE was significant. CONCLUSION: The results of this study highlight significant sleep-related problems among Chinese American breast cancer survivors and the importance of considering cultural beliefs of cancer in counseling. IMPLICATION FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Chinese American breast cancer survivors are at risk for sleep-related difficulties due, in part, to perceived self-stigma and emotional constraints. Greater education and community outreach to Chinese communities may help destigmatize breast cancer and encourage emotional expression around cancer-related topics.

Acculturation and quality of life among Chinese American breast cancer survivors: The mediating role of self-stigma, ambivalence over emotion expression, and intrusive thoughts.

OBJECTIVES: Highly acculturated Chinese American breast cancer survivors have greater access to health care providers, are English language proficient, and have more knowledge about the health care system. However, less is known about the potential psychosocial factors that may account for the health benefits of acculturation. As such, the current study seeks to understand how mainstream acculturation is associated with higher quality of life by investigating self-stigma, ambivalence over emotion expression (AEE), and intrusive thoughts, as serial mediators among Chinese breast cancer survivors. METHODS: One hundred twelve Chinese American breast cancer survivors completed a self-reported questionnaire with these trait variables. RESULTS: We found support for a serial multiple mediation hypothesis in which mainstream acculturation was indirectly associated with quality of life through self-stigma, AEE, and intrusive thoughts. Specifically, mainstream acculturation was associated with lower self-stigma, which, in turn, was associated with lower AEE and intrusive thoughts and subsequently resulted in lower quality of life among Chinese American breast cancer survivors. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that psychosocial factors are important mechanisms through which acculturation is associated with quality of life among Chinese American breast cancer survivors. As Chinese immigrants acculturate to mainstream American culture, they may benefit from the reduced public stigma toward breast cancer and incorporate new post-immigration knowledge about cancer that protects them from high levels of self-stigma. This, in turn, may lead Chinese American breast cancer survivors to experience lower AEE and intrusive thoughts and subsequently experience higher quality of life.

The detrimental effects of ambivalence over emotional expression on well-being among Mainland Chinese breast cancer patients: Mediating role of perceived social support.

OBJECTIVE: Recent research has documented the harmful effects of ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE) on psychological well-being, but few studies to date have examined AEE among Mainland Chinese breast cancer patients, an ethnic group that prioritizes emotion restraint to preserve social harmony. The present study examined the relationship between AEE and well-being (viz, anxious and depressive symptoms and quality of life) and evaluated perceived social support as a potential mediator of this relationship in a sample of Mainland Chinese breast cancer patients. METHODS: Three hundred twenty-seven Chinese breast cancer patients recruited from Weifang, China, completed a self-reported questionnaire containing the Ambivalence over Emotional Expression Questionnaire (AEQ), the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS), the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B). RESULTS: Overall, Mainland Chinese breast cancer patients endorsed high levels of AEE. A series of mediation analyses revealed perceived social support served as a partial mediator of the relationship between AEE and well-being. Specifically, AEE was associated with lower perceived social support (ßs = -.13, P < .001), which in turn, was associated with greater anxious symptoms (ß = .23, P < .001), depressive symptoms (ß = .20, P < .001) and lower quality of life (ß = -.30, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The harmful relationship between AEE and well-being is partially explained by reduced social support. Psychosocial interventions that facilitate emotional disclosure without harming social harmony may be culturally effective for mainland Chinese breast cancer patients.

Ambivalence over emotional expression and intrusive thoughts as moderators of the link between self-stigma and depressive symptoms among Chinese American breast cancer survivors.

Due to successful public health campaigns, breast cancer has successfully transformed from a highly stigmatized illness to a philanthropically supported disease in the United States. However, Chinese American breast cancer survivors continue to experience high levels of self-stigma and associated negative mental health outcomes. In the present study, we examined the relations between self-stigma and depressive symptoms, and further tested individual difference variables such as ambivalence over emotional expression and intrusive thoughts that may exacerbate the harmful effects of self-stigma among this population. One hundred and twelve foreign-born Chinese breast cancer survivors living in the United States completed questionnaires measuring self-stigma, depressive symptoms, AEE, and intrusive thoughts. We found significant AEE × self-stigma and intrusive-thought × self-stigma interaction effects in predicting depressive symptoms. Specifically, the relationships between self-stigma and depressive symptoms were exacerbated among individuals with high levels of AEE and intrusive thoughts. Self-stigma represents a significant predictor of depressive symptoms among Chinese breast cancer survivors, and particularly so for individuals with higher levels of AEE and intrusive thoughts. The findings suggest that for interventions designed to reduce the negative mental health outcomes associated with self-stigma, targeting risk factors such as AEE and intrusive thoughts might be promising.

Using the Facebook Advertisement Platform to Recruit Chinese, Korean, and Latinx Cancer Survivors for Psychosocial Research: Web-Based Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Ethnic minority cancer survivors remain an understudied and underrepresented population in cancer research, in part, due to the challenge of low participant recruitment rates. Therefore, identifying effective recruitment strategies is imperative for reducing cancer health disparities among this population. With the widespread use of social media, health researchers have turned to Facebook as a potential source of recruitment. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of purchasing ads on Facebook to recruit Chinese, Korean, and Latinx cancer survivors residing in the United States. We assessed their experience with participating in a Web-based survey and their interest for future research. METHODS: We showed 5 purchased ads in English, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Korean, and Spanish on Facebook. Participants who clicked on the Facebook ad were directed to the study website and asked to submit their emails to receive the link to the 30-minute Web-based survey. Inclusion criteria included being of Asian or Latinx heritage, age ≥18 years, having a cancer diagnosis, and being within 5 years of cancer treatment. Participants who completed the survey were sent a US $10 Walmart eGiftcard. RESULTS: The Facebook ads were shown for 48 consecutive days for a total spending of US $1200.46 (US $25/day budget). Overall, 11 East Asian and 15 Latinx cancer survivors completed the study, resulting in an average cost per participant of US $46.17. The East Asian and Latinx cancer survivors did not significantly differ in age, years lived in the United States, education level, generation status, and time since diagnosis. However, Latinx cancer survivors were marginally more likely to have limited English proficiency and lower annual income than East Asian cancer survivors. Both Latinx and East Asian cancer survivors reported that they enjoyed participating in this study and indicated an interest in participating in future psychosocial research studies. CONCLUSIONS: The use of Facebook ads successfully resulted in the recruitment of East Asian and Latinx cancer survivors with different cancer diagnoses who reside in various geographic regions of the United States. We found that East Asian and Latinx cancer survivors recruited through Facebook were interested in participating in future psychosocial research, thereby providing support for the feasibility and effectiveness of using Facebook as a source of recruitment for ethnic minority cancer survivors.

Perceived Social Support Mediates the Longitudinal Relations between Ambivalence over Emotional Expression and Quality of Life among Chinese American Breast Cancer Survivors.

PURPOSE: The present study examined perceived social support as a mediator of the longitudinal link between ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE) and quality of life among a sample of Chinese breast cancer survivors. METHODS: Ninety-six Chinese breast cancer survivors recruited from Southern California completed four surveys in total: (1) a baseline survey (T1), 1-month follow-up (T2), 3-month follow-up (T3), and 6-month follow-up (T4). Participants filled out a paper-pen questionnaire containing the Ambivalence over Emotional Expression Questionnaire (AEQ), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), and the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS). RESULTS: Higher T1 AEE was associated with lower T1 social support (B = -0.01, SE = 0.004, p < 0.01) which in turn was associated with lower quality of life at T2 (B = 2.98, SE = 0.64, p < 0.01), T3 (B = 2.14, SE = 0.54, p < 0.01), and T4 (B = 2.08, SE = 0.68, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the harmful effect of AEE on quality of life is explained by reduced social support. Given the detrimental effects of AEE on social support and quality of life, future research on interventions that facilitate emotional disclosure is needed. Implications for the effects of Chinese culture on AEE are discussed.

The unexpected impact of expressive writing on posttraumatic stress and growth in Chinese American breast cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the impact of expressive writing on reducing posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSS) and facilitating posttraumatic growth (PTG) in Chinese American breast cancer survivors. METHOD: Ninety-six women who had completed primary treatments for breast cancer were randomly assigned to a cancer experience facts condition, an emotional disclosure condition, or a self-regulation condition and wrote on three occasions over 3 weeks. Participants completed outcome assessments at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after the last writing session. RESULTS: Surprisingly, results indicated that there was generally a small increase in PTSS (ESsg = .16) and a small decrease in PTG (ESsg = -.16) from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. Effect size comparisons and latent growth curve models also indicated that the cancer facts condition was generally associated with superior outcomes for both PTSS and PTG. CONCLUSIONS: These findings speak to the importance of examining whether interventions are equally efficacious in different cultures.

Acculturation matters in the relation between ambivalence over emotional expressions and well-being among Chinese American breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE) is the inner conflict of desiring emotion expression and fearing consequence of emotion expression. Few studies to date have examined the effects of AEE within an ethnic group that prioritizes emotional self-control. The present study examined the associations between AEE and well-being (viz., quality of life and depressive symptoms) as a function of acculturation among a sample of Chinese American breast cancer survivors. METHODS: Ninety-six Chinese breast cancer survivors (M age = 54.64 years old, SD = 7.98) were recruited from Southern California. Participants filled out a paper-pen questionnaire containing the Ambivalence over Emotional Expression Questionnaire (AEQ), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Short Form (CESD-10). RESULTS: Acculturation was a statistically significant moderator of the relations between AEE and depressive symptoms, and a statistically marginally significant moderator of the relations between AEE and quality of life. Simple slopes revealed that AEE was negatively associated with quality of life (B = -.45, p < .001) and depressive symptoms (B = .20, p < .001) for women with high acculturation, but not associated for women with low acculturation (Bs = -.15 and .04, ps > .05, for quality of life and depressive symptoms, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that less acculturated Chinese breast cancer survivors are protected by Chinese cultural values of emotional self-control and restraint, and thus do not experience the detrimental effects of AEE on their depressive symptoms and quality of life. Implications are discussed.

Ethnicity moderates the outcomes of self-enhancement and self-improvement themes in expressive writing.

The current study examined whether writing content related to self-enhancing (viz., downward social comparison and situational attributions) and self-improving (viz., upward social comparison and persistence) motivations were differentially related to expressive writing outcomes among 17 Asian American and 17 European American participants. Content analysis of the essays revealed no significant cultural group differences in the likelihood of engaging in self-enhancing versus self-improving reflections on negative personal experiences. However, cultural group differences were apparent in the relation between self-motivation processes and changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3-month follow-up. Among European Americans, writing that reflected downward social comparison predicted positive outcomes, whereas persistence writing themes were related to poorer outcomes. For Asian Americans, writing about persistence was related to positive outcomes, whereas downward social comparison and situational attributions predicted poorer outcomes. Findings provide evidence suggesting culturally distinct mechanisms for the effects of expressive disclosure. (PsycINFO Database Record

Cultural differences in emotion regulation during self-reflection on negative personal experiences.

Reflecting on negative personal experiences has implications for mood that may vary as a function of specific domains (e.g., achievement vs. interpersonal) and cultural orientation (e.g., interdependence vs. independence). This study investigated cultural differences in the social-cognitive and affective processes undertaken as Easterners and Westerners reflected on negative interpersonal and performance experiences. One hundred Asian Americans and 92 European-American college students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: interpersonal rejection, achievement failure, or a control condition. Results revealed that Asian Americans experienced greater distress than European Americans after self-reflecting over a failed interpersonal experience, suggesting cultural sensitivity in the relational domain. Consistent with theoretical predictions, analysis of the social cognitive and affective processes that participants engaged in during self-reflection provided some evidence that self-enhancement may buffer distress for European Americans, while emotion suppression may be adaptive for Asian Americans.

Asian American parents' experiences of stress, discrimination, and mental health during COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 has placed Asian Americans (AA) at higher risk for discrimination within the U.S. This exacerbates the mental health distress of AA parents, who are also experiencing COVID-19-related stress (e.g., health, financial, work, childcare). The risk factors associated with mental health outcomes for AA parents are not well understood. This brief report examined the relationships among COVID-19 stress, discrimination, and psychological distress of AA parents during the initial months of the pandemic. METHOD: Baseline data of an ongoing longitudinal examination into the COVID-19 experiences of AA parents and their families were utilized. Participants were 166 AA parents of children ages 2-19 years. They completed an online survey about their experiences of COVID-19-related stress (i.e., childcare, school, work), discrimination, and psychological distress. RESULTS: The majority of AA parents were highly stressed due to school closures and childcare changes; school-age parents reported significantly more stress resulting from school closures than parents of young children or adolescents. Over 21% of AA parents experienced some discrimination resulting from COVID-19; the majority reported discrimination fears for themselves and their family/friends. Experiencing discrimination was positively associated with psychological distress, as was COVID-19 stress related to work performance and relationship quality. Conversely, the majority of parents reported increased quality time with their family (i.e., children, partners). DISCUSSION: AA parents are experiencing high levels of COVID-19-related stress, and have the added psychological burden of experiencing and fearing racial/ethnic discrimination. However, the pandemic has led to families spending more quality time together. Implications for future studies are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Cultural differences in the relations between expressive flexibility and life satisfaction over time.

Background: Expressive flexibility refers to the ability to assess situational demands and adjust one's emotion expressions via enhancement or suppression. It has been associated with lower levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms and greater social acceptance. These relationships, however, have not yet been examined across cultures-where prior research has found cultural differences in norms on emotion displays and their associations with mental health. This study examined expressive flexibility across three cultural groups and their associations with life satisfaction and depressive symptoms over time. Methods: 276 first-year college students (146 Asian American, 71 European Americans, and 62 Latinx Americans) completed two online surveys during the first (T1) and thirteenth week (T2) of the Fall 2020 academic semester. Results: Results revealed no significant cultural group differences in the ability to enhance or suppress emotions. However, we found a significant ethnicity x enhancement ability interaction in predicting T2 life satisfaction, controlling for T1 life satisfaction, age, gender, and emotion regulation frequency. Specifically, greater ability to enhance one's emotions was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction over time among Asian Americans, but not for European Americans and Latinx Americans. Discussion: Our findings illustrate the importance of not looking just at cultural group differences in the levels of expressive flexibility, but also at the associations between expressive flexibility and mental health.