Through my academic career at Arizona State University, I have learned the importance of implementing mindful habits into one’s personal and professional life. Being introduced to mindfulness has changed my life for the better. My hope for completing this thesis is to inspire other college students and future social workers to embrace the present moment, while being aware of internal thoughts and feelings as well as external stimuli. While implementing mindful habits can seem daunting and complex, one must understand that being mindful is an ongoing life-long journey. Ultimately, we owe it to ourselves and the individuals and communities we serve to engage in mindfulness, and truly be at peace with our inner-being key words: mindfulness, social work, burnout.

Through my academic career at Arizona State University, I have learned the importance of implementing mindful habits into one’s personal and professional life. Being introduced to mindfulness has changed my life for the better. My hope for completing this thesis is to inspire other college students and future social workers to embrace the present moment, while being aware of internal thoughts and feelings as well as external stimuli. While implementing mindful habits can seem daunting and complex, one must understand that being mindful is an ongoing life-long journey. Ultimately, we owe it to ourselves and the individuals and communities we serve to engage in mindfulness, and truly be at peace with our inner-being key words: mindfulness, social work, burnout.

The United States has historically been perceived as a “nation of immigrants'' dueto its eclectic racial and ethnic make-up. Nonetheless, the nation’s relationship and attitudes towards immigrants have been predominantly negative, especially with Latinx immigrants. The criminalization of Latinx immigration has led to an array of poor psychosocial outcomes for those who arrive and remain within the United States. Numerous studies have found a significant positive relationship between discrimination and elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and stress among Latinx immigrants. Seeing that Latinxs are projected to become 25% of the U.S. population by 2060, there is an urgent need for the development of culturally-affirming interventions grounded on protective factors unique to this population. This study sought to expand on the current literature surrounding the relationship between discrimination and poor mental health outcomes in Latinx immigrants, by determining whether hope and optimism serve as protective factors. Findings from a multi-step linear regression analysis showed that hope and optimism do have a significant moderation effect on Latinx mental health outcomes. Nonetheless, results varied by gender and mental health construct between depression, anxiety, and stress. The findings from this study provide an additional antidote for ameliorating the pernicious effects of discrimination concerning this cultural group. Recommendations informed by these findings are made for social work practice, policy reform, and research.