Mental Health Professionals’ Attitudes, Perceptions, and Stereotypes Toward Latino Undocumented Immigrants

We assessed the attitudes, perceptions, and stereotypes toward Latino immigrants among 247 mental health professionals across 32 U.S. states. We also randomly presented two versions of an attitude measure that varied in their references to immigrants ("illegal aliens" or "undocumented...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ethics & behavior 2018-07, Vol.28 (5), p.374-388
Main Authors: Alfaro, Michelle A., Bui, Ngoc H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude measures
Attitudes
Clinical competence
Codes of conduct
Cultural competence
Discrimination
Hispanic people
Immigration
Latin American cultural groups
Medical personnel
Mental health
Mental health care
Mental health professionals
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Noncitizens
Perceptions
Psychologists
Racial discrimination
Stereotypes
Undocumented immigrants
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Summary:We assessed the attitudes, perceptions, and stereotypes toward Latino immigrants among 247 mental health professionals across 32 U.S. states. We also randomly presented two versions of an attitude measure that varied in their references to immigrants ("illegal aliens" or "undocumented immigrants"). Participants reported that they did not agree with the anti-immigration law Arizona SB 1070 and other similar bills. Also, greater multicultural awareness was related to positive attitudes and fewer stereotypes toward immigrants. Furthermore, participants who were asked to think about "undocumented immigrants" viewed Latino immigrants more positively than those who were asked think about "illegal aliens." Findings show the continued need for multicultural awareness and competence training for mental health professionals, which align with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (i.e., Principle E: Respect for People's Rights and Dignity and Standard 3.01: Unfair Discrimination). Limitations and future directions for research are discussed.
ISSN:1050-8422
1532-7019
DOI:10.1080/10508422.2017.1300773