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The uncertainty brought about by COVID-19 in times of mass migration adds an extra layer of perceived threat and competition for resources among host residents in migrant-receiving societies. This convergence of perceived threat potentially exacerbates implicit stereotypes about immigrants and can increase intergroup discord. We used panel data and a linear structural equation model to assess the distinct indirect effects of prejudice, as well as positive and negative intergroup emotions, within the associations of contact with immigrants and perceived COVID-19 threat (not directly related to immigrants) among host residents from 7 European countries, the United States, and Colombia (total N = 13,645). In addition, we examined potential underlying explanations regarding the role that implicit stereotypes of immigrants as disease carriers/spreaders (spillover effect) may play within the aforementioned associations. We introduce the concept of incidental intergroup threat to refer to the spillover of implicit immigrant stereotypes as disease spreaders onto emotional responses related to the presence of newcomers and pandemic threat perceptions. Our findings offer novel evidence that intergroup emotions exert indirect effects, above and beyond the effects of prejudice, vis-à-vis the association between intergroup contact and incidental pandemic threat. These results also suggest that, during global health disasters, spillover effects may yield incidental intergroup threats. Future interventions designed to address intergroup exclusionary reactions during disease pandemics could benefit from integrating threat regulation strategies into efforts to prevent spillover effects and incidental intergroup threats within immigrantreceiving societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The present study was designed to compare cultural stressors, psychological distress, and their interrelationships between recent Venezuelan immigrants in the United States and in Colombia. Cultural stress theory suggests that immigrant groups in receiving contexts that are more culturally similar to them would report less discrimination, and a less negative context of reception, compared to immigrant groups settling in countries that are more culturally dissimilar. We therefore hypothesized that recent Venezuelan immigrants in Colombia would report less cultural stress, and less psychological distress (depressive and anxiety symptoms), compared to recent Venezuelan immigrants in the US. Method A sample of 647 Venezuelan immigrants (78% had migrated within one year prior to assessment) completed surveys assessing perceived discrimination, negative context of reception, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Results Contrary to expectations, Venezuelan immigrants in Colombia reported significantly (p <.05) greater discrimination, a worse context of reception, and more depressive symptoms, compared to their counterparts in the US. Mediational models indicated that a negative context of reception was related to depressive and anxiety symptoms indirectly through experiences of discrimination. Conclusion The mean differences contradict what cultural stress theory would predict, and suggest that mechanisms other than cultural similarity and dissimilarity may be responsible for the observed differences. However, the structural relationships among these factors are consistent with theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The political climate often changes following the installment of a new president. This volatility presents opportunities for examining how elections might affect vulnerable subgroups such as Hispanic/Latino (HL) adolescents. The present study explored the perception of negative political climate among HL adolescents before and after the 2020 U.S. presidential election and its association with internalizing symptoms and substance use. We conducted the study in Los Angeles and Miami between 2020 and 2021, with a sample of 304 HL adolescents (Females = 60.8 %), aged 15.3 years on average. Participants completed measures of negative political climate (pre- post-election) and measures of depressive symptoms, anxiety, substance misuse, and substance use intentions after the election. We used paired tests and linear mixed-effects modeling to explore changes in perceived negative climate before and after the election. Structural equation modeling was used to determine predictors of negative political climate and its associations with internalizing symptoms and substance use. Results indicated that following the election negative political climate increased significantly in Miami and among Cuban-origin adolescents but not in Los Angeles or among Mexican-origin adolescents. Pre-election perceived negative political climate was significantly predicted by gender, study site, and mother's nativity. Pre-election negative political climate predicted post-election internalizing symptoms and substance use intentions indirectly through post-election negative political climate. HL youth's perceived political climate is a complex construct that might vary across different sociopolitical contexts and populational sub-groups. Exploring variations in politically-based cultural stressors and their role as mental health and substance use risk factors is crucial to addressing HL disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]