Discrimination, daily stress, sleep, and Mexican-origin adolescents' internalizing symptoms.

Abstract

Using diary and longitudinal data, the current study examined the relations between Mexican-origin youths' ethnic discrimination, daily sleep and stress processes, and internalizing symptoms. Adolescents (N = 113; 49.6% female, Mage = 15.73 years) participated in an initial in-home interview and reported on ethnic discrimination and internalizing symptoms. They then completed a 3-day diary study and reported on their daily stress and sleep behaviors (i.e., sleep quality, sleep duration). Adolescents' internalizing symptoms were reassessed 2 years after the initial assessment. Discrimination related to greater daily stress and lower sleep quality. Daily stress was, in turn, marginally related to concurrent internalizing symptoms, but not longitudinal changes in symptoms. Sleep duration was unrelated to discrimination experiences and concurrent and long-term internalizing symptoms. Discrimination disrupts daily processes that include overall stress levels and sleep quality. Daily stress processes may help explain the link between discrimination and Mexican-origin adolescents' concurrent internalizing symptoms. Research examining daily processes provides insight into psychological and behavioral implications of discrimination experiences of adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record