UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENT

Florida International University

University Graduate School

Doctoral Dissertation Defense

Abstract

A Socioecological Approach to Examining Latino Emerging Adults’ Mental Health

by

Juan S. Castillo Perez

The increasing prevalence of mental health concerns among emerging adults in the United States highlights the need for urgent consideration (Oswalt et al., 2020). Research indicates that Latino emerging adults not only face more severe mental health issues compared to their non-Hispanic white peers but are also less likely to seek help for these challenges (Alegria et al., 2008; Jimenez et al., 2013; Kim et al., 2017; Pilar et al., 2019). Additionally, little is known about Latino emerging adults' perceptions of mental health, help-seeking, and their relationship to psychological well-being. This dissertation investigates multi-level factors that contribute to the psychological well-being of Latino young adults. It comprises three studies, including a scoping review to assess existing research and identify conceptual and methodological gaps, a qualitative content analysis to examine salient themes related to mental health and mental health support, and a quantitative path analysis to explore the relationships among cultural and contextual factors that inform Latino emerging adults’ psychological well-being.

Findings across the three studies reveal that the mental health of Latino emerging adult men is most effectively understood through a culturally situated, relational, and ecological framework. Mental health stigma persists as a significant barrier, exerting influence beyond individual beliefs and operating within broader cultural and relational systems that shape psychological well-being. Furthermore, culturally grounded strengths, including social support, relational trust, and prosocial aspects of masculinity such as caballerismo, are essential for understanding and fostering psychological flourishing in this group. This dissertation ultimately provides an empirically grounded, cross-method analytical framework and adopts a non-deficit perspective focused on the positive dimensions of Latino emerging adults' mental health to guide future research.