Exploring the Relationship of Acculturative Stress and Anxiety Symptoms in Latino Youth

Abstract

Previous literature suggests that acculturative stress is related to anxiety in Latino youth. However, the cognitive mechanisms by which acculturative stress relates to anxiety symptoms in this population are unknown. The purpose of the current study was to understand how mindfulness and negative automatic thoughts may be related to acculturative stress and anxiety in Latino youth. In particular, this study examined if mindfulness moderated several pathways including the relationship of acculturative stress to automatic thoughts, automatic thoughts to anxiety, acculturative stress to anxiety, and the indirect effect of acculturative stress on anxiety through negative automatic thoughts (moderated mediation). In a sample of 272 middle school-aged, first and second-generation immigrant, Latino participants, acculturative stress, negative automatic thoughts, mindfulness, and anxiety symptoms were measured and examined using PROCESS. Results revealed that mindfulness buffered the relationship of acculturative stress to automatic thoughts; however, mindfulness exacerbated the relationship of acculturative stress to anxiety. Further, a significant moderated mediation effect was found in that mindfulness weakened the relationship of acculturative stress to anxiety symptoms indirectly through automatic thoughts. Overall, the current study helps to clarify the roles of automatic thoughts and mindfulness in the relationship of acculturative stress and anxiety. It provides preliminary evidence that dispositional mindfulness is associated with less acculturative stress and negative automatic thoughts in Latino youth.