Mental health phenotypes shaped by trauma exposure, symptom severity, and individual characteristics among recent Latinx immigrant adults

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Exposure to violence and trauma in Latin America significantly contributes to migration to the U.S., bringing attention to the mental health consequences of forced migration at the U.S./Mexico border. Traumatic events occur at every stage of migration and negatively impact mental health. Evidence suggests that Latinx immigrants in the U.S. enjoy an initial health advantage that erodes over time spent in the country as immigrants experience discrimination and are less likely to seek health and mental health care. Also, this health advantage comes into question when analyzed by sub-groups. Insufficient evidence exists of the intersection of trauma exposure; individual characteristics; and mental health outcomes of depression, anxiety, and PTSD among recent Latinx immigrant adults. This K01 Award proposes a mixed methods design that incorporates latent class analysis methods to develop mental health phenotypes of recent Latinx immigrants based on the intersections of trauma, individual characteristics and mental health. This research will develop ethical approaches to studying trauma and mental health cross-sectionally and set the foundation for future prospective research of mental health phenotype evolution to inform intervention development and delivery. This research has three specific aims: (1) Develop initial mental health phenotypes in a sample of recent Latinx immigrant adults using latent class analysis methods and examine their demographic and trauma exposure correlates (trauma exposure, sex, age, gender, marital status, education, country of origin and ethnicity); (2) Provide an in-depth understanding of participant experiences of trauma exposure and mental health to illuminate findings in SA1 using qualitative methods; and (3) Validate the phenotypes and any additional constructs that emerge from qualitative data with a second survey sample of 313 recent Latinx immigrant adults at the U.S./Mexico border. My career development plan includes three Training Goals: (1) Develop comprehensive expertise in structural equation modeling and latent class analysis methods as well as growth curve modeling and latent transition analysis; (2) Gain extensive expertise in qualitative and mixed methods research at the intersection trauma exposure, individual characteristics, and mental health of Latinx immigrants with an emphasis on space and time.; (3) Develop expertise in ethical conduct of human research with a public health impact, that includes understanding gender differences in trauma exposure, as well as recruitment and prospective retention of vulnerable populations; and (4) Develop broad expertise in dissemination and translation of research with immigrant populations for policy and practitioner audiences. This K01 Award will support my long-term career goal of becoming an independent investigator conducting ethical longitudinal and intervention research on the mental health of recent Latinx immigrants in the U.S. The research plan will produce data for a multi-site R01 prospective study on the trajectories of trauma exposure and mental health of Latinx immigrants to the U.S.