Latina/o youths' discrimination experiences in the US Southwest: Estimates from three studies

Despite growing awareness of the negative effects of ethnic-racial discrimination, we know a minimal amount about the frequency of these experiences among Latina/o youth. Utilizing three independent studies, we examined estimates of general discrimination and police discrimination among Latino/a youth living in the U.S. Southwest (total N = 1,066; ages 12-21 years old). Ethnic-racial discrimination experiences differed by adolescent gender; for girls, 47% reported discrimination at age 12; highest estimates were at age 17 (70%) and 18 years old (68%). Boys reported greater general discrimination than girls did during early and late adolescence; the highest estimates were observed at ages 19, 20, and 21 years old (94, 86, and 87%, respectively). Gender differences also emerged with police discrimination; boys reported being hassled by a police officer more often than girls did at every age. Findings suggest that most Latino adolescents experience discrimination, and Latino/a boys are particularly vulnerable.