Peer Support and Mental Health Outcomes Among Latinx Youth: Differential Effects for Immigrant and US-Born Adolescents

The Latinx community currently comprises the largest ethnic minority group in the United States. Due to social and economic inequities that increase disparities, Latinx youth report elevated rates of community violence exposure compared to non-Latinx White youth; however, violence exposure does not confer the same risk for all individuals. Research demonstrates that psychosocial factors, such as support from peers, mitigate risk associated with exposure to community violence among Latinx youth. While social support is generally protective, little is known about the differential impact of social support on these pathways in US-born Latinx youth compared to immigrant Latinx youth. As such, the current study examined differences in community violence exposure, number of friends, and mental health outcomes, as well as how peer support may differentially impact the relationship between community violence exposure and mental health outcomes among US-born (n = 106) and immigrant Latinx adolescents (n = 62). While Latinx immigrant youth reported fewer close friends compared to their US-born peers, there were no differences in levels of exposure to community violence or mental health symptoms between subsamples. Notably, the results indicate that the number of close friends moderates the relationship between community violence exposure, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing symptoms exclusively among immigrant Latinx youth. These findings highlight the importance of considering social support as a protective factor, particularly for immigrant youth who have been exposed to violence. Intervention and prevention efforts aimed at fostering social support networks and promoting positive social integration may directly benefit immigrant youth.