Research examining the psychosocial correlates of mental and behavioral health among Latinx populations during the COVID-19 pandemic is limited. This is problematic given that Latinx communities in the U.S. find themselves at the intersection of worse COVID-19-related mortality, mental health distress, and health outcomes. These COVID-19 related disparities came at a time when U.S. Latinxs were already experiencing a disproportionate burden of mental health and substance use disease. Health disparities research has largely focused on Latinxs as a monolithic group, yet in doing so, the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status on health are overlooked. It is critical to understand the mental health needs of Latinxs in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic as well as the challenges and potential barriers to services experienced by these communities to better meet their unique needs. Therefore, Study 1 aimed to investigate differences on pandemic-related stressors along economic, emotional, and physical domains, psychological distress, and substance use, based on Latinx ethnicity. The second aim of Study 1 was to identify the most significant pandemic-related stressors and challenges faced by specific Latinx subgroups. Study 2 built off of the results from Study 1. Specifically, Study 2 investigated the association between pandemic-related economic, emotional, and physical stressors examined in Study 1 to various health and mental health outcomes including, psychological distress, alcohol use, and drug use, reported during the pandemic by different Latinx ethnic groups.

Colonial mentality describes how oppressed groups internalize the colonial narratives that have dehumanized them and made them subject to extreme physical, economic, and psychological violence rooted in racism and White supremacy. Beyond lacerating individuals’ identities, colonial mentality could also function as a mechanism to create intragroup conflicts. This exploratory study investigated how colonial mentality manifests through fragmentation and horizontal oppression among 13 Puerto Rican adults living in the United States. To do this, I examined the differences between their perception of the self and their perceptions of other Puerto Ricans. A thematic analysis yielded three themes: (a) fragmentation, (b) horizontal oppression, and (c) cognitive dissonance. Each theme had several subthemes portraying participants’ perceived differences in what makes an exemplary Puerto Rican juxtaposed with undesirable portrayals of being Puerto Rican. Results also portrayed how colonial mentality’s insidiousness is associated with ruptures, antagonization, and reproduction of oppression at the intragroup level. Within the last theme, however, participants’ language and narratives conveyed resistance to colonial mentality and an oasis for hope when battling coloniality at the interpersonal and relational levels. Findings from this study help expand the understanding of how colonial trauma also has significant effects on Puerto Ricans’ intragroup dynamics.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in aspects of executive functioning such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2022). These challenges may impact learning and information retrieval, leading to variations in academic, vocational, and social skill development (APA, 2022). Precise assessment of these skills is crucial for understanding the diverse cognitive, behavioral, and emotional challenges associated with an ADHD diagnosis. Despite a global prevalence rate between 5-10%, no standardized assessment method has been established (Neprily et al., 2023). The development of digital tools like the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NTCB) and Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A.) offer enhanced accessibility and efficacy in early detection (Greenberg et al., 2007; Weintraub et al., 2013).The study evaluates select NTCB measures of executive functioning, assessing their convergent and discriminant validity alongside established neuropsychological tests. It also investigates whether the T.O.V.A. and NTCB can identify unique cognitive profiles in an ADHD sample, further evaluating sex- and age-based profile differences. Correlation analyses using SPSS (Version 28) revealed strong convergent and discriminant validity of the NTCB Flanker, Dimensional Change Card Sort, and Pattern Comparison tests, with variable discriminant validity on the List Sorting test. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify distinct profiles using NTCB and T.O.V.A. tests within a sample of 213 participants between the ages of 5 and 26 years diagnosed with ADHD. Analyses were performed using MPlus8 statistical software, with missing data being accounted for by using full information likelihood estimation (FIML). Model selections were based on the number of fit indices and criteria (Nylund et al., 2013). By adjusting unique combinations of subtests and scores from both measures, 2 to 3 distinct profiles emerged within the data, underscoring the heterogeneity and complexity of this clinical population. The data did not support sex-based performance differences; however, older cohorts demonstrated stronger NTCB working memory and processing speed performances. The results highlight the versatility of the NTCB and T.O.V.A. in identifying unique neurocognitive profiles. Future research should explore their efficacy in diagnosing ADHD within diverse medical and psychiatric cohorts, aligning with emerging neuronal circuit theories.

Multiple psychological frameworks have been developed to conceptualize how people internalize colonial logics about their cultural identity and culture, and how these logics in turn influence their psychological wellbeing. The extant literature has also offered various empirically supported frameworks to understand the role colonialism may have on the cultural identity and psychological wellbeing of Puerto Ricans, a community still enduring colonial oppression. This study analyzes cultural control as a mechanism of internalized colonialism, or more specifically, what messages Puerto Ricans internalize about their culture. The current qualitative research involved individual phone interviews with 12 self-identified Puerto Ricans living in Arizona and Florida. This study used qualitative thematic analysis of the transcripts, and hypothesized that Puerto Rican participants will internalize colonial logics. This study contributes to the foundational understanding of Puerto Ricans’ perception of culture, so a more complete framework can be utilized by clinicians who provide therapy to this unique and understudied population.

Despite an increasing number of women completing doctoral programs each year, there remains a deficit in the representation of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Moreover, Women of Color (WoC) in STEM doctoral programs face unique stressors and barriers that their male colleagues may not, such as microaggressions, racism, and sexism due to their marginalized identities. Although there is a growing body of research focusing on how WoC in STEM successfully navigate academic challenges and symptoms of distress present in rigorous doctoral training, there is limited research examining intrapersonal (i.e., academic resilience) and interpersonal (i.e., perceived social support) factors that may mitigate the negative associations of these experiences. To address these gaps in the literature, the present study gathered data from 174 WoC during December 2021 and January 2022. Results supported the hypothesis that academic challenges would be positively associated with symptoms of distress. Furthermore, based on research showing positive associations between both academic resilience and social support and psychological well-being, the study also examined whether academic resilience and perceived social support from friends and romantic partners. While academic resilience was not found to moderate the association between academic challenges and symptoms of distress, perceived social support was found to have moderating effects, such that low and high levels of perceived social support increased the strength of the positive association between academic challenges and symptoms of distress. Results of the present study have implications for doctoral programs and mental health practitioners working at university college centers and support for need for the enhancement of the structure and process of the doctoral program experience for WoC in STEM.

The current study examines responses of Latinx young adult’s (n=65) perceptions, as youth, of disruptions related to the divorce of their parents. To do this, a sample of Latinx young adults who experienced parental divorce during adolescence were asked to retrospectively assess their experiences surrounding their parents’ divorce and their adherence to Latinx cultural values, ethnic socialization, and ethnic identity. Findings indicated higher levels of parental divorce disruptions experienced by participants. Additionally, association between the perceived disruptions and adherence to Latinx cultural values varied across different domains of disruptions related to the divorce. Families also appeared to engage in ethnic socialization of the youth, as the divorce did not disrupt this process. Clinical implications encourage mental health professionals to provide culturally relevant care and opportunities for ethnic identity exploration for Latinx young adult clients who are from divorced households.