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Perceived Discrimination and Mexican-Origin Young Adults’ Sleep Duration and Variability: The Moderating Role of Cultural Orientations

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Abstract

Perceived ethnic discrimination is central to the experiences of Latino young adults, yet we know little about the ways in which and the conditions under which ethnic discrimination relates to Latino young adults’ sleep patterns. Using a sample of 246 Mexican-origin young adults (M age  = 21.11, SD = 1.54; 50 % female), the current study investigated the longitudinal links between perceived ethnic discrimination and both sleep duration and night-to-night variability in duration, while also examining the moderating roles of Anglo and Mexican orientations in the associations. The results revealed that perceived discrimination predicted greater sleep variability, and this link was not moderated by cultural orientations. The relation between perceived discrimination and hours of sleep, however, was moderated by Anglo and Mexican orientations. Individuals with high Anglo and Mexican orientations (bicultural) and those with only high Mexican orientations (enculturated), showed no association between discrimination and hours of sleep. Individuals with low Anglo and Mexican orientations (marginalized) displayed a positive association, whereas those with high Anglo and low Mexican orientations (acculturated) displayed a negative association. The results suggest that discrimination has long term effects on sleep variability of Mexican-origin young adults, regardless of cultural orientations; however, for sleep duration, bicultural and enculturated orientations are protective.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the families and youth who participated in this project, and to the following schools and districts who collaborated: Osborn, Mesa, and Gilbert school districts; Willis Junior High School; Supai and Ingleside Middle Schools; St. Catherine of Siena; St. Gregory; St. Francis Xavier; St. Mary-Basha; and St. John Bosco. We thank Ann Crouter, Mark Roosa, Nancy Gonzales, Roger Millsap, Jennifer Kennedy, Leticia Gelhard, Sarah Killoren, Melissa Delgado, Emily Cansler, Shawna Thayer, Devon Hageman, Ji-Yeon Kim, Lilly Shanahan, Chum Bud Lam, Megan Baril, Anna Solmeyer, and Shawn Whiteman for their assistance in conducting this investigation.

Author's Contributions

KZ conceived of the study, participated in data collection, performed the statistical analysis, and drafted the manuscript; SK helped draft manuscript; KU conceived of the study, participated in the design and coordination of the study and provided feedback on the manuscript; AUT conceived of the study, participated in the design and coordination of the study and provided feedback on the manuscript; SM conceived of the study, participated in the design and coordination of the study and provided feedback on the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

Funding was provided by NICHD Grant R01 HD39666 (Updegraff, PI), NICHD Grant R01 HD32336 (McHale and Crouter, co-PIs),  and the Cowden Fund to the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at ASU.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA

    Katharine H. Zeiders

  2. Arizona State University, Tempe, USA

    Kimberly A. Updegraff & Adriana J. Umaña-Taylor

  3. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA

    Sally I-Chun Kuo

  4. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA

    Susan M. McHale

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  1. Katharine H. Zeiders
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  2. Kimberly A. Updegraff
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  3. Sally I-Chun Kuo
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  4. Adriana J. Umaña-Taylor
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  5. Susan M. McHale
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Correspondence to Katharine H. Zeiders.

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All procedures were approved by the Arizona State University Institutional Review Board.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individuals 18 years or older. Parental consent and informed assent was obtained from all individuals younger than 18.

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Zeiders, K.H., Updegraff, K.A., Kuo, S.IC. et al. Perceived Discrimination and Mexican-Origin Young Adults’ Sleep Duration and Variability: The Moderating Role of Cultural Orientations. J Youth Adolescence 46, 1851–1861 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0544-9

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