Resiliency is crucial for individuals and communities to overcome adversity, maintain a sense of wellbeing, and achieve future goals (Litam et al., 2021). Experiencing the widespread anti-Asian hate and Covid 19, Asian/Asian Americans struggled with maladaptive emotional behaviors and beliefs affected by, and not restricted to, social expectations and internal discrimination (Chen et al., 2020). The present study conducted a scoping review to map the concept of resiliency among Asian/Asian Americans in the U.S., aiming to understand the specific difficulties (e.g., English proficiency, family relationships) and expected achievements (e.g., successful, less emotional expressions) of the targeted communities. The author conducted a search of English-language peer-reviewed articles (2017-2023) with content analysis. Selected papers contained definitions and measures of resilience used with Asian/Asian Americans. The author also conducted separate analyses for the Asian international population and the Asian American population to articulate the similarities and differences among resilience-related expectations and behaviors. Study outcomes aid in developing a more comprehensive and culturally sensitive approach to strengthening resilience in the community. Results highlighted the need for longitudinal studies that examine the effectiveness of resilience interventions and specified interventions that address maladaptive beliefs and promote adaptive coping strategies.

The COVID 19 pandemic was a global event that disproportionally impacted Mexican origin people in the U.S. and complicated how people handled grief and loss by limiting participation in funerals. Funerals are important rituals in Mexican origin communities following the death of a person that provide the bereaved with an opportunity to say farewell to the departed in company of loved ones. Currently, there is a lack of research on the role of funeral participation and satisfaction on grief, mental health, and wellbeing among Mexican origin adults following the pandemic. To address this gap, we conducted a study using a cross sectional survey with a sample of Mexican origin adults (n = 474) recruited in a university and community events in the U.S. Southwest. We found no significant difference in levels of grief, mental health, and wellbeing between those who lost someone due to COVID 19 and those who reported other types of loss. We found that higher levels of funeral satisfaction, but not funeral participation, predicted higher levels of wellbeing and lower levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, even after accounting for race, age, sex, immigrant status, and socioeconomic status. We will discuss the implications of these findings.

Intercultural relationships are becoming increasingly prevalent within our world, but the sparse literature that exists often pathologizes and highlights strain within these relationships. While intercultural partners may be required to contend with a larger societal context, including community and cultural pressures, current research is inconsistent with the prevalence of supportive intercultural relationships and enforces a traditionalist narrative that only relationships with individuals who share homogenous sociocultural backgrounds promote psychological well-being. The proposed poster presentation seeks to explore strength and resiliency factors. Intercultural relationship satisfaction can be conceptualized within the context of romantic partners’ communal orientation toward the relationship, which may be impacted by the degree of perceived relational closeness. Relational closeness is influenced by cultural factors and can represent how both partners integrate their identities to develop a communal orientation, or a sense of “we”. Partners with a communal orientation tend to integrate and redefine experiences to create new relational meaning, structure, and processes. The proposed poster highlights directions for research and provides clinical case vignettes with the goal of assisting practitioners in supporting clients in intercultural relationships.

Parents play an important role in the identity development of children, but this responsibility becomes crucial for parents of multicultural children as they transmit cultural values, beliefs, language, and practices. Although models of racial identity development exist, many focus on White biracials, and as a result, the nuances of other minoritized mixes are lost. Overall, the literature around multiculturalism/multiracialism is often viewed as sharing culture with “whiteness” and ignores the experiences of balancing non White American cultures. Thus, the present study focuses on the multicultural/multiracial experience analyzing a) the role of language and proximity to family in cultural transmission, and b) the link between parental family enculturation with mental health, critical consciousness, and belonging outcomes. For this study, participants (N = 84) completed an extensive questionnaire assessing racial and ethnic identity, along with scales that measured language transmission, proximity to family, mental health symptoms, critical consciousness, and sense of belongingness. A Pearson’s correlation suggested significant correlations between the reported sense of belongingness and critical action (r = .32, p < .01), depression, anxiety, and stress (p < .001), as well as critical reflection and action (r = .39, p < 0.01). Further qualitative results, implications, and future directions are discussed.

Although many transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals are happy and healthy, relatively higher rates of adverse mental health among TGD populations persist in the United States as compared to cisgender populations. These mental health concerns have been linked to the pervasive anti-trans stigma, victimization, and discrimination TGD people face (Budge et al., 2013; Tebbe & Moradi, 2016). TGD individuals with additionally marginalized identities or experiences, including minoritized racial and ethnic identities, are likely to experience more pervasive stigma and discrimination (James et al., 2016). Two primary research questions will be explored in this study: 1) Do TGD people of color report greater experiences of gender-based discrimination than white TGD people? and 2) Does gender-based discrimination relate to mental health indicators for TGD people of color? A data set will be analyzed from the author’s dissertation research consisting of an online survey sample. Measures utilized include demographics, the Transgender Discrimination Scale-21, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. One-way ANOVA and bivariate correlation statistical analyses will be used to test hypotheses. Findings will likely have implications for future research, advocacy, and mental health care with TGD populations of color.

Background: Race related stress (RRS) negatively impacts the mental health of Black Americans and this effect is worse for those who are trauma exposed. Despite limited psychometric support, the brief version of the Index of Race Related Stress (IRRS B) is one of the most used measures to assess race related stress. However, accurate assessment of RRS is necessary to ensure the validity and reliability of empirical findings on RRS. Method: We used item response theory to assess item difficulty, discrimination, and factor structure in a sample of trauma exposed Black Americans (n=226). We employed a multidimensional graded response model with corresponding items loaded onto the three IRRS B factors. Results: The majority of the fit statistics for the model indicated adequate fit. At clinically significant levels of RRS, the most discriminatory items asked about observing harsh treatment of Black individuals, experiencing less courtesy in establishments, and being stared at as though you don’t belong. The item with the lowest difficulty described negative media representation of Black individuals while the item with the highest difficulty described lack of positive media portrayals of Black Americans. Discussion: These results indicate that the IRRS B captures individuals who experience low to high levels

Narratives allow individuals to make sense of past experiences by looking back at important, emotional, and traumatic events, particularly turning-point experiences. Turning point experiences are defined as episodes in life when an individual undergoes a significant change, such as migration from one country to the next. The journey to America is difficult and stressful for many immigrants. This study examined the effects of migration experiences on the bi-cultural identity development and psychological well-being of first-generation, second-generation, and third-generation Americans. Participants were asked to write the story of their migration experience, or the migration experience of their parents, followed by several follow-up questions. In addition, participants were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires related to psychological well-being (e.g., The RYFF Psychological Well-being Scales), and identity development (e.g., the Multicultural Identity Development Scale). Narratives were coded for elaboration and meaning-making. We hypothesize that participants who tell more elaborate narratives, that contain greater meaning-making in their turning point experiences will report greater psychological well-being and better multicultural identity development. This would indicate that more reflection and more elaborate story-telling while narrating migration experiences leads to better overall functioning.

The present study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a community-based career program designed for multilingual ethnic minority youth. Informed by psychology of working theory (Duffy et al., 2016), a critical cultural wealth model (Garriott, 2020), and social cognitive career theory (Lent et al., 2002), the study introduces the Project MAINE (Multilingual Assets & Interests Navigation Experiences), or a multilingual youth career program. A pilot intervention was conducted in a local middle school in Maine. The program included four sessions, which took place in the local school setting and focused on students’ career interest, personal values, local residents’ lives and work, fulfilling work, multilingual strengths and career opportunities, and multilingual career colleges. Six multilingual ethnic minority middle school students participated in the program. The presenters discuss the theoretical foundations, community-based research methods, and initial program design and implementation. The presenters also discuss the feasibility of the program, including a) acceptability (the participants’ and community partner’s reaction to the program and perceived effects); b) demand (career educational demand for multilingual youth) and c) practicality (required resources, time, and constraints). Suggestions for future research and implications for community-based interventions for multilingual ethnic minority youth are discussed.

Students of color in psychology programs often experience racial discrimination and microaggression (e.g., tokenization), cultural dissonance (e.g., a Eurocentric curriculum), and lack of mentorship and collegial support (Hoffman et al., 2003). While there is emerging literature on systemic barriers to these students’ retention, there is little research focusing on ways to improve the retention among students of color in undergraduate-level psychology education, especially for students who study psychology in predominantly white colleges. Therefore, the present study aims to explore students of color’s decision about majoring in psychology and identify how it is related to their cultural identities and lived experiences in predominantly white higher education institutions. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012) is used to analyze the interview data from one-on-one interviews with college students of color majoring in psychology and those who completed their psychology requirements. Preliminary findings from five interviews suggest the following themes: a) trust-building; b) authentic and intentional engagement with diversity, inclusion, and equity; c) community-orientation; d) faculty diversity; and e) content diversity. Suggestions for future research and ideas for improving the inclusivity of the psychology curriculum and field are discussed.

Background: Research focused on nuanced assessment of racial/ethnic socialization (RES) is limited to youth, with no research specifically focusing on Black women. Given the need for validated measures in this group, we examined the psychometric properties of the Adolescent Racial and Ethnic Socialization Scale (ARESS). Method: A community sample of Black women (n=422) completed a modified ARESS and measures assessing race-related beliefs/attitudes (identity, superwoman schema), protective factors (resilience, optimism, belonging) and symptoms (rumination, depression, worry). Results: To examine the factor structure and convergent validity of the ARESS we used EFA and correlational analyses. The EFA supported five factors: Pride Promotion, Cultural Socialization, Bias Preparation, Passive Cultural Socialization, Assimilation Promotion. Pride Promotion was associated positively with identity and resilience, but negatively with depression. Cultural Socialization was positively associated with identity and resilience, while Bias Preparation was positively associated with the superwoman schema, identity, belonging, resilience, and worry. Passive Cultural Socialization was positively associated with resilience, belonging, and identity. Assimilation Promotion was positively associated with the superwoman schema, belonging, and resilience. Discussion: Our results show there are overlapping and distinct aspects of RES that are associated with meaningful psychological variables. These results contribute to researchers’ ability to conduct valid RES research.

There is only little research available focusing on racism in the German health care system (Bartig et al.2021). The interdisciplinary project "RiGeV Racism in Health Care” investigates racism in German health care institutions, particularly focusing on hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Patients, relatives, health professionals and managers of health care facilities will be interviewed and social media analyses will be conducted in order to gain insights into experiences, situations and interpretations of racist discrimination in health care institutions as well as to develop organization related racism critical professionalism. The project uses a mixed methods approach. One component is a comprehensive scoping review (von Elm et al. 2019), which will be presented in this talk. The databases PubMed, CINAHL, Livivo, PsycInfo and Web of Science will be searched with the aim to map the evidence on racial discrimination by people receiving treatment specifically in in patient services in high income countries, focusing specifically on whether intersectional axes of discrimination have been taken into account. The results will be discussed in the context of epistemic injustice and it will be explored why certain countries may be more progressive in their research than others in addressing the issue of racism in health care.

Social anxiety (SA) is among the most common challenges during adolescence, with 29.5% of youth reporting elevated clinical symptoms (Hawes et al., 2021). Problematically, there have been virtually no studies examining SA in Black adolescents, although SA is associated with impaired academic and social outcomes. This study aims to understand cultural experiences of Black students to assess specific factors related to SA and barriers to seeking mental health treatment. Information gathered will aid in developing a culturally sensitive school based intervention targeting SA in Black students. Seven Black high school students in New Jersey participated in individual in person interviews. These interviews asked students about their perceptions of SA and community barriers to school based treatment. Findings indicated that students' experiences of racism (i.e., stereotyped as “angry”) and cultural norms (e.g., expectations of not disclosing SA concerns outside the family) are associated with SA symptoms. Regarding barriers to seeking school based interventions, students reported fears of stigma or judgment for seeking help. Furthermore, students stated challenges related to adults’ attitudes to help seeking or SA (i.e., parental lack of understanding of SA severity). Thus, interventions must aim to challenge help seeking stereotypes, address and depersonalize racist messages, and promote empowerment.

Black American caregivers often engage in ethnic racial socialization (ERS) practices, such as preparation for bias and promotion of mistrust, to prepare their children to survive within racially oppressive systems. Consequently, Black youth may develop coping methods, such as emotion suppression and unmodulated perseverance, to overcome systemic racism to achieve academic and financial success. While these coping methods may be conducive to academic and financial success, they may be costly to personal well-being and normalize concealing emotions to persist through adversity. This study examines how such coping methods may be related to preparation for bias and promotion of mistrust and whether these relationships vary by gender among Black youth. Data from a pilot trial of a mindfulness intervention was collected from Black high school students (n=63) who completed measures of ERS, emotion suppression, and unmodulated perseverance. Linear regression analyses will be conducted to examine these relationships. We hypothesize that ERS practices of promotion of mistrust and preparation for bias will be positively related to these coping methods and vary by male and female identifying participants due to gender social constructs. This study is vital to improving mental health treatments and structural interventions for Black youth to overcome systematic racism.

Due to racism, over 20% of African Americans receive poor quality health care and as a result, are reluctant to utilize health care services. This study examines the racist attitudes of health care providers and African American Georgia State University (GSU) School of Public Health (SPH) students’ perceptions of the health care quality they receive, the effects of such care, and student recommendations. Using a mixed methods cross sectional design, data was collected from 63 African American GSU students 18 years and older across six domains. Results showed that provider brushes off patient concerns when providing medical care (29.9%), stereotyping (26.9%), and the lack of communication during medical care (25.4%) were the three main racist attitudes identified. Due to the poor quality of care, students are reluctant to utilize health care services (28.4%), do not trust doctors that are not from their race (34.3%), do not adhere to treatment (19.4%), and prefer to rather use home remedies (28.4%) when they are ill. Students recommended cultural competency training, holding health care providers accountable for their actions, and the need to increase African American health care providers in Georgia to address the issues of health care provider attitudes and quality of care.

Racial/ethnic minorities (EM) are believed to possess more negative treatment expectations, and their EM identities are closely related to lower outcome expectations(e.g., Nock et al.,2007; Sue & Zane,1987). The present study examines the ability of a culturally personalized version of PCIT (MY PCIT) to increase parent treatment explanatory model match on Parental Treatment Expectancies (PTE). This study included caregivers of 32 children with disruptive behavior problems ages 2-7 (13% Black/African American, 16% Asian American, 22% Non-Hispanic White, 22% multi-ethnic, 28% Latinx). Fifty-six percent of families received modified BPT related to PTE based on their pretreatment assessment. PTE was then re-assessed twice throughout the program (T2,T3). Results showed that overall PTE of families who received modified treatment improved significantly by T2 (p=.02), while families who did not receive treatment modifications showed no significant change by T2 (p=.17). By T3, marginal improvement in treatment expectancies was observed for the entire sample (p=.07) and trend level improvement was observed among families who received modified BPT (p=.13). This pilot study indicates that personalized treatments have the potential to improve PTE for BPTs in a culturally diverse sample. Further implications for improving the cultural responsiveness of therapy will be discussed.

Background: 61% of Black Americans have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE). ACEs and insecure adult attachment styles are associated with problematic alcohol use during emerging adulthood. However, this has not been examined in Black Americans. This study examined whether adult attachment styles mediated the association between cumulative ACEs and problematic alcohol use in Black emerging adults. Method: The sample was 227 Black emerging adults (50.2% male, mean age=24.27) who completed an online survey via Prolific measuring ACEs, adult attachment subscales (closeness, dependency, and anxiety), and alcohol use. Results: Multiple mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS model 4 in SPSS. The indirect effect of cumulative ACEs on problematic alcohol use through the dependency adult attachment subscale was significant (β = .02, SE=.01, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.00), but not closeness and anxiety subscales. Discussion: Among Black emerging adults, the dependency adult attachment subscale mediated the relationship between cumulative ACEs and problematic alcohol use. Individuals who have lower scores on the dependency (one’s ability to depend on another person) adult attachment subscale may engage in problematic alcohol use to cope with cumulative ACEs. Results may inform culturally tailored interventions for individuals from diverse groups engaging in problematic alcohol use.

This study focuses on socioeconomic status (SES), posttraumatic growth (PTG) and avoidant attachment as predictors of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online survey data was collected from 466 participants via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and college students through the SONA Systems at a private Christian university. Using a two-step structural equation modeling approach (Kline, 2016) and residual centering procedures for creating orthogonal latent variable interaction terms (Little et al., 2006), we examined a multiple additive moderation model for anxiety symptoms during COVID-19. Controlling for other predictors in the model, higher PTG (b = 0.12, p < .001) and attachment avoidance (b = 0.34, p < .001) levels predicted higher anxiety levels. Similarly, having a chronic illness-related disability or living with someone with a chronic illness-related disability (b = 0.21, p < .001) predicted increased anxiety levels. Lastly, higher SES demonstrated a trend towards less anxiety levels (b = -0.06, p = .05) when controlling for other predictors in the model. Research, clinical, and public policy implications will be discussed along with full-length conceptual and statistical diagrams, inclusive of the revised structural model based on empirically- and theoretically-driven model trimming procedures.

Ethnoracially minoritized young adults in the U.S. are at an elevated risk for suicide behaviors. Research has highlighted the disproportionate burden of suicide risk factors such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among minoritized youth. Difficulty in emotion regulation (DERS) has been found to increase the risk of suicide behaviors (SB) among young adults. Still lacking is the extent to which ACEs and DERS differentially associate with SB in this population. Data from a cross sectional study of ethnoracially minoritized youth (N = 120; 68.3% female; 39.2% Hispanic; M[SD]age = 22.62 [2.88] years) recruited via MTurk and a minority serving institution were analyzed. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Correlates of lifetime suicide ideation [LSI] (child maltreatment and DERS nonacceptance) and lifetime suicide attempts [LSA] (parental maladjustment, child maltreatment, LSI, DERS impulsivity, and DERS clarity) were found above chance level. A logistic regression model uniquely identified depressive symptoms as a significant predictor to LSI, whereas LSI and parental maladjustment were found to statistically predict LSA. The study highlights the ethnoracial disparities in ACEs and DERS as potential explanatory factors and precursors to the elevated risk for SB among ethnoracially minoritized youth. The study has implications for policy and clinical implications

Childhood is an important developmental period during which positive and negative experiences can have enduring influences on socioemotional processing in adulthood. For example, there is evidence associating adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with transdiagnostic constructs, including difficulty regulating emotions and greater sensitivity to anxiety, which may confer risk for psychopathology. Recent work has examined the promotive effect of positive or benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) on mental health outcomes and socioemotional development. ACEs and BCEs, however, are rarely considered together in examining these transdiagnostic socioemotional mechanisms, especially in Black Americans. The present study examined the association between BCEs, ACEs, and several transdiagnostic processes (anxiety sensitivity, emotion dysregulation, and distress tolerance) in a sample of Black Americans (N=1,005, M=45 years). Participants completed the BCEs and ACEs scales, and measures examining anxiety sensitivity, emotion dysregulation, and distress tolerance. Regression analyses showed that, with BCEs and ACEs in the same model, higher BCEs and lower ACEs were significantly* associated with lower anxiety sensitivity, and greater emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance(*p< .01). The interplay between positive and negative childhood experiences may uniquely influence distinct dimensions of socioemotional processing in adulthood. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying this influence in Black Americans.

In recent years, there have been dramatic improvements in our ability to seek, utilize, and receive mental health care. Despite these improvements, research has shown that many individuals, especially those belonging to ethnic minority communities still experience difficulty seeking mental health treatment. Factors such as racial discrimination in the health care system, along with associated stigma within their communities surrounding mental health care, establish barriers in pursuing treatment for those who desire the help. Men and women also have different views on seeking mental health care. The current study seeks to investigate the relationship between ethnic identity, attitudes toward mental health, and help seeking behaviors between genders. Namely, we assess relationships between perceptions toward mental health and ethnic identity, as well as attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment and about mental health in general. We hypothesize that women who have a strong ethnic identity will be more willing and less ashamed to seek mental health treatment, as well as having a less stigmatized view of mental health care.

Black youth experiencing chronic poverty related stressors have a heightened risk of developing poor mental health outcomes. Youth mentoring interventions have proven moderately effective in decreasing risk of negative outcomes and promoting positive development. Impacted by a youth’s relational capacity, or ability to connect with others, the mentoring relationship quality (MRQ) is a key determinant in mentoring success. The parent – child relationship is inundated with chronic stressors which can furthermore compromise relationships with non parental adults from adolescence to adulthood. Research suggests mentoring interventions are most optimal for youth with moderate levels of relational risk, demonstrating a curvilinear relationship. The current study will examine the impact of the quality of the parent – child relationship on mentee satisfaction with the MRQ. The sample includes 6th 8th adolescents enrolled in a school based mentoring intervention. Self reported data collected at three time points during the intervention will include outcome measures for: quality of the parent – child relationship (Places I Spend Time: Home) and satisfaction with the MRQ (Match Characteristic Questionnaire). Primary analyses will include Regression and curvilinear analyses. Preliminary analyses show a minimally significant correlation. These findings implicate relational patterns of Black youth impacted by poverty and provide guidance

Perceived online racism is characterized as discrimination encountered online based on racial identity. More specifically, Black men and women experiencing online racism report significant stress, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and poor physiological health outcomes. Research is limited on gender differences in stress from online racism. Since Black men and women have two or more marginalized identities, experiences of oppression online and the likelihood of poorer mental health may be exacerbated. This study aimed to examine whether the relationship between online racism and stress was moderated by gender (women or men). A sample of 300 Black/African American young adults (Mage = 29.09, SD = 9.78) completed an online survey. We conducted a moderation analysis with bias-corrected bootstrapping (10,000 resamples) using PROCESS Macro (Model 1). Results revealed gender significantly moderated association between online racism and stress, (β = −.07, SE = .03, p = .0059). Online racism was significantly associated with stress, but the effect was larger among men suggesting the increase in stress associated with greater exposure to online racism was bigger than with women. The higher average stress score in women, suggests a similar score of online racism exposure, women are more likely to report greater stress than men.

Due to European colonization globally and biases historically people with lighter skin tones have been given access to more power and privileges in society (Dixon & Telles, 2017). This could have contributed to colorism, preferences for lighter skin tones. Colorism is an important area of study as colorism has been associated with negative consequences for people across various domains such as dating, education, employment, and health care. One issue with current colorism measures is that many measures do not include images. Therefore, participants may be asked about “light” and “dark” skin tones however this could be relative to the participant. Alternatively, colorism measures that do include images do not showcase a wide range of skin tones. The current poster will present a new colorism measure that includes a more representative range of skin tones that could be utilized by researchers to access the extent to which people prefer lighter or darker skin tones.

South Asians constitute one of the largest immigrant populations in the country; yet their visibility in domestic violence literature continues to be limited. Insufficient representation of this group and discrepancies in prevalence rates occur because IPV survivors in this community rarely approach formal or informal sources of assistance. The aim of this study was to delineate the experiences of South Asian immigrant women when they attempt to seek help for abuse. Specifically, this research explored sociocultural and structural barriers which prevent or delay survivors’ ability to approach family, friends, community members, police, lawyers, domestic violence shelters, and non-governmental organizations for assistance. The present study also included their opinions of potential additions and modifications to existing support services that would facilitate the help-seeking behavior of other South Asian immigrant women. Data obtained from participants indicated that self-blame, shame, financial dependence, cultural variables (e.g., gender roles, religiosity), complications due to immigration status, and lack of support from formal and informal agencies made it difficult for these women to seek assistance for IPV. The study also documented the additional hardships imposed on these survivors due to repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.

Black Women with a college education are often viewed by their communities as having achieved a major external marker of upward mobility. The attainment of a college degree has been established as a strong predictor of a number of positive biopsychosocial outcomes across the lifespan. However, a growing body of literature examining health outcomes associated with high striving coping mechanisms specific to Black individuals in the U.S (i.e., John Henryism and Skin Deep Resilience) suggest a trend of diminished health returns among college educated Black individuals evinced by physiological indicators like high allostatic load (AL) suggesting accelerated epigenetic aging (Weathering) across the lifespan. The current study seeks to examine how the desire to promote the welfare of individuals in need while in college may be a form of high striving coping. A sample of 156 Black Women, (M age= 20.4, SD = 2.08) participating in a mentoring intervention across three cohorts self assessed altruism, personal adjustment, and health status at pre and posttest. Findings will indicate how altruism either serves as a protective health factor or contributes to weathering in Black Women depending on their locus of control beliefs and how well adjusted they are to their life circumstances.

In the last decade, Latinx adolescents have been growing in a heightened xenophobic and racist sociopolitical climate (Karras et al., 2022). We know they experience discrimination at school, in their neighborhoods, and in society (Gonzales, 2011; Seaton et al., 2013), which has implications for their sense of belonging (Lopez Hernandez, 2022). Extant literature suggests that Latinx immigrant-origin (IO) adolescents search for belonging, especially when excluded, within their families, peer groups, and their (or their parents) country of origin (Lopez Hernandez, 2022; Gonzales, 2019; Enriquez, 2016). Using semi-structured interviews, we explored how Latinx IO adolescents (N= 34) described their connection with their parent's country of origin. We aimed to understand how their connection (or lack of) with their parent's country of origin influenced their sense of belonging in their immediate environments (e.g., American society). Through thematic analysis, we found that parents were influential in how participants perceived and created spaces of belonging in Mexico, for example, allowing them to travel to explore their culture and connection with family members. Participants who expressed a lack of connection received negative messages (being “dangerous”) about their country of origin which influenced the frequency of traveling to their parent’s country of origin.

This study uses data from a vignette-based study on the experiences of witnessing racial microaggressions in college classrooms. A national sample of 171 White American and 204 person of color (POC) college students were randomly assigned to an overt or covert microaggression condition, or a neutral race-based condition. Participants read vignettes of an interaction between a male POC student and a male White or POC professor. Then, participants rated the interaction as positive or negative and wrote a brief justification. It was previously determined that ratings of professors did not vary significantly based on participant race/ethnicity. However, it is unclear whether personal factors such as colorblindness and experiences with microaggressions could affect ratings of professor-student interactions. Thus, the present study focuses on the above personal characteristics to identify the presence of subgroups, and if these groups coincide with ratings of the interaction. A latent profile analysis was conducted on four characteristics: awareness of racial dynamics, ethnic identity strength, ethnocultural empathy, and direct or indirect experiences of microaggressions. Differences among membership in the resulting four profiles will be explored with regards to participant race and ethnicity, and ratings of interactions between student and professor in the vignettes.

The present study was exploratory in nature, using a quantitative survey method to investigate the methods and frequency of assessing race related stress by mental health providers with their clients of minority ethnic or racial backgrounds. There is a significant body of research providing evidence of the detrimental impacts of race related stress on the mental and physical well-being of minority populations. Nevertheless, race related stress is often neglected in the assessment, conceptualization, and treatment of minority clients - contributing to over pathologizing and missing important treatment considerations. We hypothesized that few mental health practitioners would use formal race related assessments, despite formal measures being available. Practitioners from diverse disciplines across California were asked to fill out a survey, and the data supported the hypothesis.

African Americans made up 4.24% of the US population of people within the field of psychology, in particular those with a doctoral degree (APA, 2022). Black women consistently experience challenges within their educational journeys, as evidenced by increased rates of sexism and racism compared to their White and Black male counterparts (Harris et al., 2022). Even beyond the field of psychology, Black women often have a higher frequency, chronicity, and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that has manifested increased health disparities such as poor health outcomes and psychological distress (Jenkins,2002; Mekawi et al., 2021). A meta-synthesis of current literature was carried out and included an in-depth review of studies. The determination of themes, core elements of each study, and a synthesis of these integral parts will be presented. The examinations of databases such as PsychInfo, PubMed were searched from 2010-2023 addressing Black graduate students’ experiences. The themes that appeared within the literature include adjustment, mentorship, intersectionality, advocacy for providing positive representations of women of color, and racism within academia. Psychology professionals need to possess the knowledge, skills, and tools to provide effective treatment to our diverse society.

Internalized homophobia (IH), internalization of anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes, is detrimental to self esteem, and may result in self-harm behaviors. Research is needed to determine if holding two minority statuses as an LGBTQ+ person of color may act as a stressor that exacerbates IH levels . The purpose of this study was to examine ethnic/racial differences in IH by sexual orientation. Inclusion criteria: emerging adults (18-29 years), LGBTQ+, and English proficiency. There were 788 participants (155 White, 148 Black, 224 Hispanic/Latinx, 154 Asian, 107 multiracial) with an average age of 23.21 (SD=3.12), and sexual orientations as homosexual (n = 141)l, bisexual (n=455), pansexual (n=85), and “other” (n=107). Participants were recruited and completed surveys with Prolific. ANOVAs and ANCOVAs were used to examine differences in IH scores among the ethnic/racial groups and based on sexual orientation. Asian and multiracial IH scores were the highest and lowest respectively. Post hoc tests found that the mean IH score of Asian participants (M=2.12, SD =1.11) differed significantly from multiracial participants (M=1.63, SD=0.92). None of the ethnic/racial groups had significant differences in IH by sexual orientation.

Tamis LeMonda’s (2007) framework explains that individualistic and collectivistic cultural values relate. Individualistic values can be in conflict with collectivistic values. They can also be additive, both co existing independently, or functionally dependent with one value serving the other. Previously used to understand parent’s goals for their children, we apply this framework in understanding Latinx student’s developmental goals for themselves. The present study explores 111 Latinxs’ motivations to pursue their college degree. Participants were recruited from a mid sized, regional, emerging Hispanic Serving Institution and completed open ended questions about motivations for attending college. Independent coders coded (a) responses for individualistic and collectivistic themes and (b) conflicting, additive, or functionally dependent associations between motivations. Results showed that Latinx students endorsed individualistic themes (M = 1.2), such as wanting a specific job, more than collectivist themes (M = .75), such as wanting to be a role model for siblings. Among those who endorsed both individualistic and collectivistic motivations, a functionally dependent association was the most common (31%), followed by additive (18%), and conflicting (3%). These findings suggest that Latinx college students hold both individualistic and collectivistic values related to seeking a college degree and these values are complementary rather than antagonistic.

White supremacy is a central component of our society. This is apparent in our culture and institutions where racism significantly impacts and oppresses BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). White Supremacy is based on the ideology that White people are superior to BIPOC and should remain at the top of the racial hierarchy. The intention to preserve this hierarchy has been demonstrated by resistance toward racial equality. White supremacy may have a negative impact on Whites and BIPOC and understanding it would help combat racism. Research has shown racism to have aversive health and psychological effects for BIPOC and psychological costs for Whites. However, no study has directly linked the effect of endorsing White supremacy. This study aims to examine the psychological cost for both BIPOC and Whites who have internalized White supremacy. We hypothesize both BIPOC and Whites endorsing White supremacist ideology will have poor mental health outcomes and higher rates of substance use. The study will utilize an online survey using measures of demographics, mental health, social desirability, social dominance, political orientation, and endorsement of White supremacy ideologies developed specifically for this study. Results will shed light on the impact of White supremacy on mental health outcomes.

International students encounter challenges that domestic students do not face, based on legal status, language barriers, differences in cultural and social norms, and increased discrimination as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic (Domínguez et al., 2022; Maleku et al., 2022). Despite international students’ presence rising in U.S. institutions, research on the experiences of international students in Psychology doctoral programs remains minimal (Xu and Flores, 2022). Counseling Psychology is a subfield of Psychology that values diversity and internationalization, but, despite these, there is scarce literature on the experiences of international Counseling Psychology doctoral students (Consoli et al., 2022). Some of the existing research relates to mentoring and supervision, career barriers, social justice identity, and international faculty’s experiences (Knox et al., 2013; Garrison et al., 2022; Domínguez et al., 2022; Hui Spears and Park Saltzman, 2022; Consoli et al., 2022). The present study focuses on the experiences of three international students from diverse countries enrolled in Counseling Psychology programs in the U.S. through a collaborative autoethnography. This study explores what it means to be an international student in Counseling Psychology programs in the U.S., sheds light into identifiable barriers, needs, and strengths of students, and presents recommendations for supporting international students.

Social media is a primary way Asian/Asian Americans (A/AA) have engaged with COVID related information since the start of the pandemic. Research suggested that certain social media use behaviors, like posting/commenting and private messaging may provide social support, while browsing was a risk factor that increased vicarious discrimination and subsequent distress (Chae et al., 2021; Lee & Waters, 2020). A/AA college students also engaged in similar social media behaviors, but the associated mental health outcomes are unclear. We investigated whether COVID social media use was a risk or protective factor for anxiety among A/AA college students. 252 participants completed measures of COVID related posting/commenting, private messaging, browsing, and anxiety. We hypothesized that posting/commenting and private messaging would be negatively associated with anxiety, while browsing would be positively associated with anxiety. Linear regression models were used to examine the associations between social media use and anxiety. We found partial support for our hypotheses, COVID related posting/commenting and browsing were significantly associated with greater anxiety, while private messaging was not significantly associated with anxiety. Future studies should examine social media use in more comprehensive approaches (e.g., preferred social media platforms) to better understand how social media impacts A/AA college students’ anxiety symptoms.

Social identity (Cruwys et al., 2014; Green & Elliot, 2010), including religiosity/spirituality (r/s), is a complex multidimensional construct associated with mental health benefits. R/s affiliation and practices help individuals, including BIPOC communities, cope with negative life events and mental health issues (Assari & Lankrani, 2018). As there is a gap in the literature on BIPOC student r/s identities, intersectional research on r/s identity is needed to better understand this construct. We used an adapted version of Social Identity Mapping (SIM; Cruwys et al., 2016) to visually examine 95 BIPOC college students’ experiences of r/s identity, what they connect with, and the quality of the intersection. In this study, 33.7% of the sample included r/s identities on their SIM. For those that included a r/s identity, 56.25% rated this identity very important, 28.13% moderately important, and 15.6% less important. Participants on average connected 1.92 social identities with their r/s identity (SD=.97, range=[1,4]). Respondents typically found it moderately easy to maintain both their r/s identity and other identities including race, sexuality, and family roles. Findings highlight the salience of r/s identities among BIPOC college students and the intersection with other identities that can inform subsequent research and practice focused on college students.

The impact of adoption-specific discrimination on adoptees’ psychological well-being is not well studied. Existing measures do not capture discrimination specific to transracial, transnational adoption. We describe the initial validation of a new measure of transracial, transnational adoption discrimination. Using a small measurement approach (DeVellis, 2017), a new measure of adoption-specific discrimination perpetrated by any racial/ethnic group (4 items; M = 1.63; α = .81) and by Korean Americans (4 items; M = 1.46; α = .89) was administered to 169 Korean adult adoptees (Mage = 25.65). Participants rated frequency on a Likert-type scale from 1 (never) to 4 (often). We also included a measure of general racial/ethnic discrimination (9 items; M = 2.07; α = .91; Lee et al., 2015), Ethnic Identity Scale (EIS; Umaña-Taylor et al., 2004), Adoptive Identity Scale (AIS; Beaupre et al., 2015), and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10; Kessler et al., 2003). The discrimination scales correlated with one another (r = .56 to .69), the EIS (r = -.17 to .06), AIS (r = -.18 to -.09), and K10 (r = .26 to .35). We will conduct a CFA, test for demographic differences, and assess incremental validity above and beyond neuroticism.

INTRODUCTION: Online sexual racism–as a unique form of intersectional minority stress–can negatively affect LGBTQ People of Color health. Focusing on a majority Latinx Cisgender, Bisexual sample, this study examines the associations between sexual racism in online dating environments and health. METHOD: LGB PoC (N =432) were recruited from Amazon MTurk, an online platform. Participants were age 18-66, most were Cisgender (87.2%) and Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (96.1%) men and women, with most identifying as Hispanic/Latinx (65.3%). Measures included: experiences of an online sexual racism scale, the respiratory and sleep subscales of the Physical Health Symptoms Questionnaire. Two regression analyses were conducted to predict sleep and respiratory issues conditions from scores on the Experiences of Sexual Racism scale (ESR). RESULTS: Results showed that sexual racism positively predicted sleep scores (b = .428, p < .001) and positively predicted respiratory issues (b = .364, p < .001). DISCUSSION: Higher levels of online sexual racism are associated with poorer sleep and respiratory health in LGB Hispanic/Latinx men and women. These findings are discussed with an emphasis on the impact of intersectional minority stressors on LGBTQ+ PoC sleep and lung health.

Although most Africans were forcibly extracted and brought to Latin America and the Caribbean, Afro-descendants from these regions are rarely discussed in the psychological literature (Morner, 1967; Gates & Pollack, 2011; Sena & Shannon, 2023). Additionally, binary understandings of race further marginalize Afro-descendants of Latin America and the Caribbean (Perea, 1997; Rodriguez, 2014). This invisibility creates a lack of understanding of the unique needs of Afro-Latines and how to support their wellness. As such, Latine psychologists have “called in” scholars to address Black Latines’ marginalization (Adams et al., 2020; NLPA, 2020b; NLPA, 2020c; Adames et al., 2020). Given the need to understand the experiences of Black Latines, the following poster presentation will discuss the current state of psychological literature on Afro-Latines and Afro-Caribbean people. A content analysis will be conducted on four leading multicultural psychological and counseling journals: Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology (CDEMP), Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development (JMCD), Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology (JCCP), and Journal of Black Psychology (JBP). The Journal of Latinx Psychology is excluded as a prior content analysis on Afro-Latines has been conducted (Mazzula & Sanchez, 2021). Results, implications, and future directions will also be addressed.

Community therapists have described adapting trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) when implemented into community settings to increase fit for their diverse clients. One example are Augmenting adaptations that add or tailor content, such as modifying presentation, integrating content, or repeating. The current study examined client, therapist, and session factors associated with the likelihood that Augmenting adaptations were made in TF- CBT sessions. Data were drawn from 46 therapists who provided 190 TF-CBT session audio recordings and surveys describing session and client characteristics for 82 racially/ethnically diverse youth clients (97.78% from a minoritized racial/ethnic group). An observer measure was developed to identify different Augmenting adaptation-types in these sessions. Logistic regression showed several factors associated with the likelihood of an Augmenting adaptation being observed in the session. For instance, the odds of a modifying presentation adaptation being observed were lower when a client expressed concerns in the session (B=0.28, p=.02), while the odds of an integrating adaptation being observed were higher when an acute client stressor was discussed (B=4.31, p=.006). All associated factors will be presented. Understanding these factors enhances our knowledge of how to deliver TF-CBT with diverse youth in community settings.

Cultural adaptations are modifications made to evidence-based practices (EBPs) to address diverse client needs. Research shows that racial/ethnic minoritized therapists’ level of acculturation to their American and Heritage culture may be associated with their likelihood of making cultural adaptations to EBPs for youth in community settings (Saifan et al., 2018). We examined whether therapist acculturation (level of endorsed American Cultural Identity and Heritage Cultural Identity) was associated with higher likelihood of making adaptations for cultural reasons that (1) add to the EBP (Augmenting), or (2) subtract from the EBP (Reducing). 347 racial/ethnic minoritized therapists (66.28% Latinx) reported on their delivery of an EBP in a Los Angeles County community setting serving youth over two months. Logistic regression showed that of therapists who reported adapting the EBP, a one unit increase in Heritage Cultural Identity was associated with a 60% increase in the odds of making Augmenting adaptations for cultural reasons (p=.04, 95% CI [1.01, 2.52]), but not Reducing adaptations. American Cultural Identity was not associated with making Augmenting or Reducing adaptations for cultural reasons. Implications include how therapist cultural identity may relate to making adaptations to EBPs to improve outcomes for diverse youth.

Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Americans face systemic and interpersonal racism, yet they are legally categorized as White in the United States. Scholars conceptualize the lack of MENA recognition as an invalidation of MENA Americans’ racialized experiences and have theorized its negative effects on mental health outcomes. Yet, no experimental studies to date have tested these proposed relationships. The present study used an experimental research design to assess the psychological consequences (e.g., negative affect, state anxiety, sense of belonging) for MENA Americans of completing racial-ethnic demographic questionnaires that either contain or lack a MENA box. This study also tested moderating effects of committing to social and/or political action on the issue of MENA recognition. Our findings contribute to psychologists’ understanding of the impacts of structural racism on MENA Americans, and an understanding of racial identification and its relevance to psychological outcomes for this group. The findings have implications for how institutions gather racial-ethnic demographic data and may be particularly useful for policymakers confronting the question of whether to add a MENA racial-ethnic category to the 2030 Census. Authors will discuss these and other findings and implications and will highlight opportunities for future research.

The researcher develops a conceptual understanding of strategies that foster cross-racial/ethnic solidarity. Cross-racial/ethnic solidarity is a term that describes collectiveness among individuals from different racial/ethnic groups who share a common interest or goal. Historically, the common interest of individuals engaged in cross-racial solidarity in the U.S. has been centered around resisting systemic oppression which disproportionately impacts racial/ethnic minorities. Through the utilization of the psychological framework of radical healing (French et al., 2020), the researcher focuses on the aspect of radical hope, envisioning strengthened bonds of cross-racial solidarity not only toward the fight against systemic oppression, but also in collective healing. Sun and colleagues, (2022) suggest that racial/ethnic minorities engage in racial justice action, that “take into consideration their transnational and ethnic histories” (p. 21). Cross racial/ethnic groups have also existed before. In 1969, the original Rainbow Coalition was created by members of the Black Panther Party, which included groups of Blacks, Puerto Ricans, and White poor youth in Chicago (Arguello, 2019). The researcher addresses benefits and challenges associated with engaging in cross-racial solidarity. The researcher also points out useful strategies to address the challenges by focusing on addressing White supremacy ideology and cross- racial/ethnic healing.