Vicarious Racial Discrimination and Sleep Health Among Latina/o/x/Hispanic First-Year College Students: Distinctions From Direct Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Moderation by Ethnic-Racial Identity.

Authors

G Alice Woolverton, Youchuan Zhang, Xiaoping Yu, Nidia Ruedas-Gracia, Cindy H Liu, David H Chae, Heining Cham, Mona El-Sheikh, Tiffany Yip

Published in

Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities. Jun 18, 2026. Epub Jun 18, 2026.

Abstract

Latina/o/x/Hispanic individuals, particularly college students, remain underrepresented in research on vicarious (i.e., witnessed, second-hand) racial discrimination (VRD) and sleep, despite elevated VRD and high rates of sleep health disparities. This study examined associations between VRD and self-reported sleep outcomes while controlling for the role of direct racial and ethnic discrimination (DRED) and the potential moderating influence of ethnic-racial identity (ERI).
Data came from the first wave of an ongoing study that examines undergraduate sleep health at a university in the northeastern U.S. The analytic sample included first-year Latina/o/x/Hispanic students (N = 145). Measures included sociodemographics, in-racial group VRD frequency, DRED frequency, sleep disturbances, daytime dysfunction, average nightly sleep duration, and ERI exploration and commitment.
VRD frequency was associated with significantly more sleep disturbances, higher daytime dysfunction, and lower odds of adequate sleep duration (≥ 7 h per night). After adjusting for DRED, associations with sleep disturbances remained significant, and associations with sleep duration were marginal; only DRED predicted daytime dysfunction. ERI commitment was negatively associated with daytime dysfunction. ERI exploration amplified the link between VRD and sleep disturbances and VRD and daytime dysfunction, with stronger associations observed among students reporting higher exploration.
Findings highlight VRD as a distinct correlate to sleep health disparities among Latina/o/x/Hispanic college students. VRD may trigger collective threat and vigilance, leading to rumination that elevates sleep disturbances and shortens duration. In contrast, DRED may carry more immediate cognitive and emotional costs that impair daytime functioning. ERI exploration may heighten racial salience, intensifying cognitive and emotional processing linked to VRD.

PMID:
42315768
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 19 Jun 2026.

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