Discrimination and health: Sense of control among older Latinx adults

Mediating & moderating analysis

Sense of control is a complex, multidimensional psychosocial phenomenon that refers to the extent individuals perceive they have personal power and control over their lives and environments. Social scientists argue that a sense of control is built not in solitude, but rather within social settings, specifically interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others. Influenced by these larger social structures, believing that one has control over outcomes is associated with better reported health, fewer and less severe symptoms, faster recovery from illness, and greater longevity.

This study attempts to better understand the role of sense of control in the lives of older Latinx adults. I mediate and moderate sense of control (i.e., mastery and constraint) between discrimination and depressive symtomologies. Experiences of discrimination are stressful and traumatic, which may overtime erode feelings of control that lead to worse mental health outcomes. However, feelings of control over one’s life, especially later in life, may also help individuals deal with and/or conceptionalize these negative experiences.