Cultural Neuroscience of Latino Mental Health: Collectivism and the Psychophysiology of Self-Regulation in Adolescents

University Of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

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Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract Latino adolescents in the United States face a number of mental health disparities. In particular, this group appears to experience an excessive disease burden due to social anxiety. In line with National Institute of Mental Health research initiatives, the present study seeks to examine how cultural factors relevant to Latinos are related to neural correlates thought to be associated with clinical dimensions of social anxiety, in an effort to inform the design of tailored prevention and intervention efforts aimed at mitigating mental health inequalities. Specifically, the present study plans to investigate the association of collectivism (an attitudinal cultural value in which group cohesion and interpersonal relationships are given great value and priority) and two event-related brain potential (ERP) components, the error-related negativity (ERN) and the feedback negativity (FN). The ERN and FN are negative deflections in the ERP that occur following error detection and receipt of feedback. Extensive literature links them to cognitive processes (exaggerated error-monitoring and feedback response) that contribute to social anxiety symptomatology. These electrophysiological measures have also been conceptualized as reflections of individual variance in threat sensitivity. Specifically, the meaning of a certain context to an individual can enhance the neural response to errors or feedback. In line with this understanding, for individuals who endorse adherence to collectivism, the social context is thought to have especially high importance. Thus, errors and negative feedback that take place in a social context are more salient, which is manifested in enhanced ERN and FN. We aim to test three manipulations of social context in samples of Latino (n = 37) and non-Latino Caucasian (n = 37) adolescents using electrophysiological research methods (ERPs). Each task will include an ecologically valid manipulation of social environment that reflects facets of the cultural and developmental group under study. The three experimental tasks are complementary in their ability to address the notion that culture interacts with neural mechanisms associated with cognitive processes that contribute to social anxiety symptoms. Consistent with a cultural neuroscience perspective, this research intends to explore how an individual?s view of themselves and their connections to others play a critical role in determining the implicit meaning and value of the social context and of one?s neural response to social stimuli. Findings may have translational implications and inform the science that guides the development of culturally appropriate anxiety treatment for underserved youth. The long-term goal of this project is to provide the applicant with training that will set the stage for a career in the field of pediatric cultural clinical neuroscience. Thus, the proposed fellowship is designed to promote acquisition of new knowledge and skills related to psychophysiological research methods, as well as to integrate training in cultural and developmental frameworks.