Bicultural Stress and Mental Health Among College Students

Due to the increase of mental health problems in college students, examining how bicultural stress may impact mental health is crucial. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relations between bicultural stress and depression, anxiety, and stress among college students. Additionally, race, Hispanic identification, and time of immigration were assessed to examine if they were significant moderators to the relationship between bicultural stress and mental health problems. A sample of 58 college students from the same Hispanic Serving Institute (HSI) in southern California completed measures assessing bicultural stress, anxiety, stress, depression, and a demographic questionnaire, including questions concerning race, ethnicity, and family immigration history. The results of the study showed that bicultural stress had a positive relation with anxiety, stress, and depression. Additionally, race moderated the relation between bicultural stress and anxiety where the bicultural stress of the minority racial group was more strongly related to higher levels of anxiety than the majority racial group. Time of immigration and Hispanic identification did not moderate the relation between bicultural stress and depression, anxiety, and stress. The results highlight the implication that it is necessary to transition college students to multicultural environments. HSIs could be beneficial as they can seek to mitigate the negative effects of bicultural stress.