PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
There is evidence of a growing health disparity in mental health—particularly rising depression and
anxiety—in Latinx young adults. Fear of deportation is prevalent in this population, with nearly 39% of
Latinxs expressing concern about the possibility of themselves or someone they know being deported. Fear of
deportation has been linked to high levels of anxiety and depression among Latinx populations, yet little is
known about the underlying mechanisms driving this relation. While there is a growing number of studies
investigating systemic inflammation among Latinx populations, there remains a knowledge gap related to the
associations between inflammation and structural racism. The proposed project aims to expand health
disparity and discrimination research among Latinx immigrant young adults by examining how
systemic inflammation may mediate the relation between fear of deportation and depression and
anxiety. Specifically, the study will recruit 150 Latinx college students with temporary or no legal status and
150 Latinx students with permanent legal status to complete online questionnaires and provide a saliva
sample. The first aim of the proposed project is to assess the multi-domain effects of fear of deportation on
systemic inflammation (biological domain) and mental health outcomes (behavioral domain). It is hypothesized
that systemic inflammation will mediate the relations of fear of deportation with anxiety and depression. The
second aim of the proposed project is to identify multi-level risk factors that moderate the associations between
fear of deportation, systemic inflammation, and the mental health outcomes of anxiety and depression. The
study hypothesizes that acculturation (individual level), discrimination (community level), and skin color
(individual level) will act as moderators of links between fear of deportation, inflammation, and mental health.
Additionally, the third aim of the proposed project is to identify multi-level protective factors that may weaken
these links. It is hypothesized that political activism (individual level), parent-child attachment (interpersonal
level), and religiosity (community level) will mitigate the associations between fear of deportation, systemic
inflammation, and depression and anxiety. The proposal innovates by considering, for the first time, risk and
protective factors across domains and levels of influence that are operating at the biological level to exacerbate
and mitigate the effects of deportation stress on mental health. Additionally, it aims to shed light on the
influence of structural racism on health through biological processes. The findings of this study can inform the
development of targeted interventions and policies aimed at reducing a known health disparity and promoting
resilience among minoritized populations. As such, this study is aligned with NIMHD's strategic goal of
investigating the health determinants that underlie resilience or susceptibility to diseases and conditions
experienced by minority populations. It will also support the training of a first-generation, Latina immigrant who
seeks to address health disparities through doctoral study and an independent research career in psychology.
