Latino STEM Scholars, Barriers, and Mental Health: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

Research exploring the participation and retention of Latino/as in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) is still in its early stages, but it is shedding light on the lack of representation, why they occur, and what are the outcomes for those that remain in STEM. This review of the literature explores the barriers, stressors, and health issues that emerge for Latino/a STEM faculty. The review includes work on the comprehensive stress, discrimination, and other burdens that contribute to Latino/a faculty stress. Discrimination and socioeconomic status (SES) can operate in synergistic ways to diminish health and coping mechanisms. We address the professional and organizational contexts that Latino/a faculty face in the university environment and the health outcomes that potentially emerge as a result of their experiences within universities in the United States.