Effects of adversity and cultural protective factors on depression-related brain function in Mexican-origin individuals

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This application is a Research Supplement to R01 MH123530. This application proposes a two-year research and training plan for Angelica Carranza, a PhD student in Human Development at UC Davis. The aim of the parent R01 is to establish the association between adversity in adolescence and depression symptoms and allostatic load in young adulthood for those of Mexican origin, identify neural mechanisms mediating these associations, and discover protective factors that can mitigate these processes of risk. The proposed Research Supplement will expand on the proposed research but remain within the scope of the original parent grant by addressing two research aims. First, to use growth curve modeling to examine how trajectories of economic hardship and perceived discrimination in early/mid adolescence prospectively predict neural connectivity associated with reward processing and social exclusion in late adolescence. Second, to examine how two potential cultural protective factors for Mexican-origin individuals, ethnic identity and familism, moderate associations between adversity and neural connectivity. The proposed Research Supplement will also support Ms. Angelica Carranza in accomplishing the following four training goals: 1) developing expertise in longitudinal statistics, particularly growth curve modeling, 2) advanced training in fMRI analysis, 3) training in culturally- sensitive research methodology for Latino populations and development of expertise in culturally-specific protective factors for mental health in Latino populations, and 4) career development including writing and publishing manuscripts and grant writing. The proposed research and training plan will ensure that Ms. Carranza has the skills needed to pursue her future career goals of obtaining a postdoctoral fellowship and, later, a position as a professor at a research university.