Responding to racism at school: Ethnic-racial socialization and the academic engagement of Black and Latinx youth.

Guided by the Theory of Racial Socialization in Action (TRSA; Smith-Bynum in press), this study examined observed caregiver-provided ethnic-racial socialization in response to a school-based discriminatory dilemma. Forty-five Black and 36 Latinx caregivers (88% mothers) with low-income and their children (Mage  = 11.09, SD = 0.29; 46.3% female) participated in Dallas, Texas from 2018 to 2019. Dyads responded to a hypothetical scenario in which a school counselor makes a discriminatory comment to the child. Results of a factor mixture analysis suggested that caregivers engaged in the dialogue using one of four approaches: Low-engaged, Legacy, Racial Literacy, or High-engaged. Profiles were found to differ significantly by the race/ethnicity and language of caregivers and were associated with youth's concurrent behavioral engagement (R2  = .04).

Preparing Black and Latinx children for police encounters: Caregiver response profiles and child self-regulation.

We hypothesized that the goodness-of-fit between profiles of observed, caregiver-provided ethnic-racial socialization (ERS), and child self-regulation (i.e., inhibitory control) would differentially associate with child behavioral outcomes. Conversations between 80 caregivers (45% Latinx; 55% Black) and their children (M age  = 11.09; 46% female) were rated for ERS. Measures included an inhibitory control composite (ages 2.5-3.5) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; age 12). Three profiles were determined: Comprehensive (n  = 34), Reactive (n  = 8), and Pragmatic (n  = 38). Only youth with low inhibitory control in preschool appeared to benefit from Pragmatic ERS, whereas youth with normative or high inhibitory control in early childhood displayed lower internalizing and externalizing behaviors when they had Comprehensive or Reactive rather than Pragmatic caregivers.

Emotional wellbeing and coping among Latinx young adults in the time of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the wellbeing of the general US population, but even more so among Latinx young adults. The current study provides a detailed picture of the emotional wellbeing and coping of Latinx young adults during the first summer of the pandemic. Six virtual focus groups (n = 21) were conducted between May and August of 2020 with a community-based sample of Latinx young adults to explore (1) how the pandemic affected wellbeing and (2) how they coped with pandemic-related stress. Contextualistic thematic analysis identified important themes and subthemes. Perceived stressors impacting emotional wellbeing yielded one overarching theme: COVID-related disruptions in the participants' environment. To manage this heightened stress, another overarching theme was self-care and intentionality during the pandemic. Future studies should examine the wellbeing of young adults across social contexts and at more recent stages of the pandemic. Findings from this study suggest culturally- and developmentally-tailored interventions are needed as this population navigates contextual stress during a sensitive period in their life.

The intersection of immigration policy impacts and COVID-19 for Latinx young adults.

For many Latinx young adults, COVID-19 has exposed exclusionary policies that heighten risk for contracting the virus and that leave them and their parents unprotected. This study has a dual purpose; first, to quantitatively examine immigration policy impacts of discrimination, isolation, threats to family, and vulnerability, and their association to economic consequences experienced by Latinx young adults in Central Texas during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, to qualitatively explore how policy impacts affected Latinx young adults during the pandemic, and the coping mechanisms they utilized to minimize these impacts. Quantitative results show that on average, Latinx young adults (N = 83) reported low discrimination and isolation but moderate threats to family and vulnerability, with rates of isolation and vulnerability higher for foreign-born than U.S.-born Latinx young adults. Perceived discrimination due to one's own or family immigration status was associated with economic hardship. Qualitative findings show that Latinx young adults (n = 21) experienced (a) precarious conditions that pose a threat of COVID-19 infection for Latinxs, (b) parental job loss due to vulnerable employment leads to deprivation, and (c) policies that disproportionally discriminate against the Latinx community and exclude them from vital services. Despite these challenges, participants also drew on resilience and expressed hope for the future. The article concludes with implications for policymakers and practitioners to provide protections and services to Latinx young adults and their family members.

"I am affected in all the ways ": A phenomenographic analysis of Latinx adolescents' perceptions of family separations at the border.

OBJECTIVES: This phenomenographic analysis examines how news of family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border shaped variations of experience and perceptions among U.S. Latinx adolescents across parental residency status. METHOD: In 2018-2019, 340 15-18-year-old Latinx adolescents in the Washington D.C. area participated in a study on immigration actions and responded to an open-ended question detailing how news of family separations at the border affected them and their families. The sample was comprised of equivalent numbers of adolescents whose parents had U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, temporary protected status, or were undocumented. Utilizing a phenomenographic analysis, we compared data across the participants' parental residency status. RESULTS: Three categories captured the complex influences that news of family separations had on Latinx adolescents not directly affected. Perceptual Experiencing described the sympathetic and vicarious emotions produced by the news of family separations. Lived Experiencing described the tangible effects experienced by participants, including incidents of increased racism and fear. Catalyzing effects described spillover effects of the first two themes where internalized feelings induced fear and catalyzed family behaviors. All themes were noted across residency status; however, the third was most strongly supported by those whose parents had precarious statuses. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest Latinx families across residency statuses can be negatively affected by news of the adversities experienced by a subgroup. Service and healthcare providers, and educators must be prepared to support Latinx youth faced with fear, discrimination, and isolation arising from exposure to news on immigration actions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Acculturation Stress Magnifies Child Depression Effect of Stressful Life Events for Latinx Youth 3 Years Later.

Introduction: Experiences of stressful life events (SLEs) during childhood are associated with greater risk for youth psychopathology. Although SLEs are reported in greater frequency by Latinx families, Latinx populations remain largely absent in the SLE literature. Furthermore, Latinx populations face added stressors related to socio-political climate, acculturation, and racism and discrimination. The purpose of this study was to explore the intersection between parent-reported SLEs and acculturation (i.e., socio-political climate-related) stressors for Latinx youth. Greater frequency of caregiver reported SLEs were hypothesized to predict higher depressive symptoms in their children three years later, and acculturation stress was hypothesized to amplify these effects. Method: The community-recruited, low-income sample for this study consisted of 198 Latinx caregivers (98.5% mothers, 77.3% foreign-born) and their children (M age = 7.4, 47.5% female). Study hypotheses were tested using MPlus. Results: Consistent with prior literature, more SLEs reported at age 7 by parents were associated with more child-reported depressive symptoms at age 10 but only among boys. However, for both boys and girls, there was a significant interaction between acculturation stress and family SLEs. Specifically, as the amount of acculturation stress reported at age 7 increased, the negative impact of family SLEs on child-reported depressive symptoms at age 10 was magnified, regardless of gender. Conclusion: Adding to the literature on SLEs within Latinx families, these results indicate that acculturation and socio-political climate stressors need be considered in discussions of the effects of life stress on Latinx youth and their families.

Economic and Social Consequences of COVID-19 and Mental Health Burden Among Latinx Young Adults During the 2020 Pandemic.

Latinx young adults 18-25 years old face unique challenges that disproportionately put them at high risk of experiencing health as well as economic and social burden due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The present study examined how economic and psychosocial consequences as a result of the pandemic were associated with mental health issues among a community sample of Latinx young adults (N = 83) from Central Texas. Participants completed an online survey of COVID-related experiences and mental health needs. The survey asked about personal and family experiences of COVID-19 in two significant areas: (a) economic strain (e.g., economic hardship, food insecurity) and (b) psychosocial burden (e.g., losing relationships, substance use). Regression analyses examined the association of COVID-19 consequences on level of mental health symptoms and clinically significant outcomes. Relative to economic consequences, psychosocial consequences due to the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with higher levels of mental health symptoms. In contrast, in few cases, economic strain resultant from the pandemic was correlated with clinically significant outcomes among this sample. Collectively, findings suggest that the costs of the pandemic do not only pertain to mortality from illness but also to morbidity as it relates to deteriorating social circumstances and mental health. Findings from this study call for immediate attention to implement policies and programs to help mitigate the economic and social-emotional consequences of COVID-19 such as easy access to low-cost virtual mental health resources to Latinx young adults.

Los adultos jóvenes latinos de 18 a 25 años enfrentan desafíos únicos que los ponen de manera desproporcionada en un alto riesgo de sufrir consecuencias de salud, económicas y sociales debido a la pandemia del COVID-19. El estudio presente examinó cómo las consecuencias económicas y psicosociales a raíz de la pandemia se asociaron con problemas de salud mental en una muestra comunitaria de adultos jóvenes latinos (N = 83) del centro de Texas. Los participantes completaron una encuesta en línea sobre experiencias relacionadas con el COVID-19 y necesidades de salud mental. La encuesta incluyó preguntas sobre las experiencias personales y familiares del COVID-19 en dos áreas importantes: (a) tensión económica (por ejemplo, dificultades económicas, inseguridad alimentaria) y (b) carga psicosocial (por ejemplo, pérdida de relaciones, consumo de sustancias). Los análisis de regresión examinaron la asociación de las consecuencias del COVID-19 en el nivel de los síntomas de salud mental y los resultados clínicamente significativos. En comparación a las consecuencias económicas, las consecuencias psicosociales debido a la pandemia de COVID-19 se asociaron con niveles más altos de síntomas de salud mental. Por el contrario, en unos pocos casos, la tensión económica resultante de la pandemia se correlacionó con resultados clínicamente significativos en esta muestra. En conjunto, los hallazgos sugieren que los costos de la pandemia no solo se refieren a la mortalidad por enfermedad, sino también a la al deterioro de las circunstancias sociales y la salud mental. Los hallazgos de este estudio exigen atención inmediata para implementar políticas y programas que ayuden a mitigar las consecuencias económicas y socioemocionales del COVID-19, como el fácil acceso a recursos virtuales de salud mental de bajo costo para adultos jóvenes latinos.

Christian Mainline Protestant Pastors' Beliefs About the Practice of Conversion Therapy: Reflections for Family Therapists.

Efforts to change the sexual orientation of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals to heterosexual are referred to as conversion therapy. Given the religious groundings that support the practice of conversion therapy, we sought to explore the beliefs of Christian religious leaders about this practice and what they want family therapists to know about the practice of conversion therapy. Twenty-one pastors from diverse Mainline Christian Protestant traditions were interviewed. Queer theory-informed thematic analysis revealed four themes that reflect the participants' perspectives on conversion therapy: (a) Conversion Therapy Is an Abomination, (b) Conversion Therapy Is Similar to Other Abusive Practices, (c) Conversion Therapy Represents A Misuse of Religion, and (d) Ethical Concerns About Therapists Who Practice Conversion Therapy. Implications of this study include a need for self-of-the-therapist work to address religious biases and heteronormative assumptions in order to examine beliefs that support practicing conversion therapy.

Deconstructing cissexism: The journey of becoming an affirmative family therapist for transgender and nonbinary clients.

This article proposes a model for family therapists to become more competent, inclusive, and affirmative in their clinical work with transgender and nonbinary clients. In particular, this article details: (1) barriers to transgender and nonbinary affirmative therapy, (2) impacts of these barriers on transgender and nonbinary people's mental health, (3) a three-step model for becoming an affirmative therapist for transgender and nonbinary clients, and (4) strategies for deconstructing cissexism in therapy. This goal of this article is to invite family therapists to join in on a lifelong journey of "becoming" an affirmative therapist for transgender and nonbinary clients, a journey on which none of us will ever "arrive". We can, however, take continual action to minimize the negative impacts of cissexism on therapists and clients; this article offers ideas for a place to start.