Cardiovascular reactivity during stressful social interaction in Mexican American women: effects of language and interaction partner ethnicity

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Title Cardiovascular reactivity during stressful social interaction in Mexican American women: effects of language and interaction partner ethnicity
Publication Type dissertation
School or College College of Social & Behavioral Science
Department Psychology
Author MacKenzie, Justin James
Date 2012-05
Description Acculturating to the United States confers risk for cardiovascular disease, possibly through cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) when communicating in a non-native language and interacting with individuals from a different ethnic background. Sixty-four women who immigrated to the United States from Mexico participated in the study. Cardiovascular responses were examined while participants communicated in both English and Spanish with a non-Hispanic White or Mexican American partner. Perceived discrimination, acculturation, task-related emotional responses, and perceptions of the interaction partner were also assessed. Speaking in English evoked greater increases in blood pressure and heart rate than communicating in Spanish and larger increases in negative affect. English - speaking interaction partners were also viewed as less friendly and more dominant. Perceived discrimination and levels of acculturation did not predict CVR. These findings suggest that health effects of acculturation for Mexican Americans may involve the cardiovascular stress responses associated with communicating in a non-native language.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Cardiovascular reactivity; Ethnicity; Interpersonal; Mexican american
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Dissertation Name Doctor of Philosophy
Language eng
Rights Management Copyright © Justin James MacKenzie 2012
Format application/pdf
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 144,793 bytes
Identifier us-etd3,86344
Source original in Marriott Library Special Collections; BF21.5 2012 .M33
ARK ark:/87278/s6vt26v0
Setname ir_etd
ID 194713
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6vt26v0
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