Ethnic discrimination, cultural identification, and well-being among undocumented Hispanic immigrants in the United States: A test of the rejection-identification model.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the rejection-identification model (RIM) within a community sample of undocumented Hispanic immigrants in the United States, a unique and vulnerable population who face distinct legal and sociopolitical challenges. The RIM posits that ethnic discrimination is associated with increased identification with one's ethnic group, which, in turn, is positively associated with well-being. Data were collected from a community sample of 140 undocumented Hispanic immigrants living in the South-Central United States during the height of the 2015 Trump presidential campaign. Path analysis was employed to examine direct and indirect effects of perceived ethnic discrimination vis-à-vis ethnic identity, U.S. identity, and two forms of well-being (life satisfaction and flourishing). Age (M = 34.83), gender (50% men), and time spent in the United States were included as covariates. Higher ethnic discrimination was associated with lower U.S. and ethnic identity. Both ethnic and U.S. identity were positively associated with flourishing, whereas only U.S. identity was positively associated with life satisfaction. We also found a significant indirect effect of ethnic identity in the relationship between ethnic discrimination and flourishing. Findings are inconsistent with the RIM, as ethnic discrimination was negatively rather than positively associated with ethnic group identification. Undocumented Hispanic immigrants are a vulnerable population who may experience dual disidentification from both U.S. and ethnic cultural streams when perceiving ethnic discrimination during adverse sociopolitical periods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).