Stigma and Health, Vol 11(2), May 2026, 216-228; doi:10.1037/sah0000565
This research investigates layered public stigma towards Latiné individuals with mental illness compared to their non-Latiné White counterparts. While many suspect there is a “double stigma” for minoritized persons with mental illness, few studies have tested this hypothesis directly, and none have focused on Latinés. Research indicates that one of the primary stereotypes about Latino men is that they are “dangerous” (Quillan & Pager, 2010), a harmful myth also applied to persons living with mental illness (Corrigan, 2005). Using a vignette design across two experiments, we manipulated the ethnicity of the target individual—a (fictional) man with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression—to examine the impact of Latiné ethnicity on public stigma in a sample of U.S. adults (majority White). Stigma was assessed via measures of social distance, perceived dangerousness, warmth, and competence. Experiment 1 (N = 64) found significantly higher social distance and perceived dangerousness toward the Latiné persons with mental illness, marginally lower perceptions of competence toward Latinés, but no differences in perceived warmth. Experiment 2 aimed to replicate these findings while specifying the precipitating trauma for PTSD (a car accident) to minimize confounds. Results from Study 2 (N = 58) largely echoed Study 1, with significantly higher perceptions of dangerousness toward the Latiné persons, particularly in the PTSD condition, marginally lower perceptions of competence, and no differences in warmth. However, social distance scores were not significantly discrepant. Results highlight the nuanced interplay between stigmas facing Latinés living with mental illness, with implications for ongoing health care disparities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)