Latino/a Freshman Struggles: Effects of Locus of Control and Social Support on Intragroup Marginalization and Distress

The transition to college can be difficult for many students; however, Latina/o students can face unique cultural stressors, impacting psychological health. Intragroup marginalization, or feeling marginalized by members within one's cultural community, is one such stressor that can impact Latina/o students' college experiences. Despite the challenges many Latina/o students face, Latina/os also demonstrate resilience and the ability to succeed. This study expands existing research on intragroup marginalization, using a cross-sectional design to test a mediational model of intragroup marginalization from friends and psychological distress, with locus of control and peer social support in a sample of 137 Latina/o college freshmen from a large public university in the western United States. Intragroup marginalization from friends predicted psychological distress. In addition, locus of control and social support from friends were identified as mediating variables. This research demonstrates the negative impact of intragroup marginalization from friends for Latina/o students, as well as the protective role of having an internal locus of control and peer social support on experiences of psychological distress. Results also highlight unique factors related to Latina/o freshmen college experiences as a means for improving Latina/o students' success in college.