School Climate and Mental Health Among Hispanic ELL Students

Abstract

This study investigates whether Hispanic English Language Learners (ELL) have higher anxiety and depression than Hispanic non-ELL students and whether this relationship is moderated by their perception of school climate. Researchers often overlook the language heterogeneity within the Hispanic population, instead focusing mostly on comparisons between Hispanic students and their non-Hispanic peers. But at the individual level, one of the most widely documented risk factors for Hispanic students is language proficiency, particularly among the ELL subpopulations. This study aims to fill a gap in the literature by disaggregating Hispanic students based on the distinct needs of ELLs. Participants in this study are current fifth grade students enrolled in a school mental health study underway in 16 public elementary schools in North and South Carolina (n = 1,216). We compare ELL status Hispanic subgroups (n = 146) on the PROMIS Anxiety, PROMIS Depression, and BIMAS-2 Negative Affect scales, and then examine whether the effect of ELL status on these scores changes depending on perceptions of school climate. Our findings will inform culturally responsive educational and behavioral health interventions for Hispanic students.