Insomnia Symptoms In Latinx Emerging Adults: The Role Of Perceived Discrimination

Abstract Introduction An individual’s culture presents unique risk and protective factors related to sleep outcomes. Similarly, emerging adulthood also represents a unique developmental period as it relates to sleep. The study of cultural factors during emerging adulthood is critical for better understanding the development of sleep dysfunction in vulnerable segments of the population. The present study investigated the association between perceived discrimination and insomnia symptoms in Latinx emerging adults. We hypothesized that perceived discrimination would result in higher insomnia symptom presentation above and beyond anxiety and depressive symptoms. Methods Participants included 198 (73.7% female; mean age=18.96) college-aged individuals self-identifying as Hispanic/Latinx who completed an online survey that assessed perceived racial/ethnic discrimination (Everyday Discrimination Scale; EDS), anxiety symptoms (General Anxiety Disorder Scale; GAD-7), depression symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire; PHQ-9), and insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index; ISI). A three-block hierarchical regression was used to assess the impact of perceived discrimination on the presentation of insomnia symptomology above and beyond demographic characteristics and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Results The final model significantly predicted insomnia symptom presentation, F(5, 191)=26.379, p<.001, R2=.408. When age and gender identity were entered into the model they did not significantly predict insomnia symptoms F(2, 194)=.199, p=.82, R2=.002. Blocks 2, anxiety and depression symptoms (∆R2=.388), and 3, perceived discrimination (∆R2=.018), accounted for significant change in variance. In the final model, perceived discrimination significantly predicted insomnia symptoms (β=.151) above and beyond age (β=.016), gender identity (β= -.085), anxiety (β= -.075), and depression (β=.621). Conclusion Results suggest that discrimination among Hispanic/Latinx emerging adults is a unique contributor that may explain some of the higher prevalence rates of insomnia symptomology in this segment of the population. As such, it would be beneficial to tailor existing approaches aimed at improving sleep outcomes by accounting for stressors that could result from or influence discrimination against the individual and incorporate other cultural factors into treatment protocols. Support (if any) National Institute on Aging (K23AG049955, PI: Dzierzewski).