BETHLEHEM, PA — Students who speak Spanish more often and experience more violence tend to have lower GPAs, according to a new study led by Dr. Vanesa Mora Ringle, a bilingual clinical psychologist and assistant professor at Lehigh University’s College of Education.
The study, titled “The impact of violence exposure and posttraumatic stress on the academic functioning of Latine middle school students: The moderating role of language use,” appearing in The Journal of Latinx Psychology, explores how language use and trauma relate to the academic success of Latine middle school students in the United States.
Dr. Mora Ringle investigates how students’ Spanish language use, within an educational system that prioritizes English, relates to the links between exposure to violence, PTSD symptoms, and academic outcomes such as GPA. It finds that Latine students with greater exposure to violence and higher PTSD symptoms tend to have lower GPAs. Importantly, those who speak Spanish more frequently and have experienced recent violence exhibit significantly lower grades, suggesting that Spanish-speaking students encounter specific language-related challenges that impact their academic performance. Conversely, students who speak less Spanish but have higher PTSD symptoms also tend to have lower GPAs, highlighting a complex interaction, shaped by an English-dominant school environment, where both high and low Spanish use are associated with academic risks in different trauma contexts.
The study highlights that school absences were not connected to violence exposure, PTSD, or language use, suggesting that academic performance–as reflected in GPA–may be more closely tied to psychological and cultural factors.. This research focuses on recent violence exposure within the past six months, emphasizing its immediate effect during the school year, especially for students with stronger Spanish language ties, often immigrants or children of immigrants working hard to adapt to English-centered educational environments that often overlook the value of bilingualism.
Dr. Mora Ringle’s work places these findings within the context of systemic inequalities faced by Latine youth, including high rates of trauma exposure—some studies report nearly 80% have experienced at least one traumatic event—and cultural stressors like navigating between Spanish and English in schools that prioritize English. These schools may unintentionally increase stress for Spanish-dominant students, worsening the impact of trauma on their academic success.
The study highlights the importance of culture and language as essential parts of development within school microsystems. It also stresses the need for sociocultural interventions that simultaneously address bilingualism and trauma, suggesting that bilingual language use serves not only as a marker of acculturation but also as a crucial element affecting coping and resilience.
Implications call for educational and mental health policy reforms that recognize and support bilingualism as a valuable asset rather than a deficit. Dr. Mora Ringle advocates for trauma-informed, culturally responsive school practices and mental health services that highlight the linguistic and cultural strengths of Latine students while addressing their trauma-related risks. Research shows that trauma screening and school-based interventions can improve academic outcomes, underscoring their importance.
“This study emphasizes the urgent need for schools, policymakers, and practitioners to invest in equitable, culturally affirming supports that help Latine youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally, breaking cycles of trauma and educational inequity,” says Dr. Mora Ringle. “It marks a significant step forward in framing bilingualism and trauma within a social justice context, affirming that when linguistic and cultural barriers are removed, Latine students are better able to reach their full potential.”
This comprehensive research effort, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States, illustrates Lehigh University’s dedication to promoting equity, inclusion, and culturally informed scientific knowledge. The study co-authors include Dr. Erum Nadeem, associate professor at Rutgers University; Dr. Michelle Joaquin, founder of Stress & Trauma Evaluative Psych Services; Dr. Shilpa Baweja, a clinical psychologist at UCLA Health Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; Dr. Catherine DeCarlo Santiago, a clinical psychologist at Brave Minds Psychology Center for Child Anxiety; and Dr. Omar Gudiño, associate professor and associate director of the Clinical Child Psychology Program at the University of Kansas.
Dr. Mora Ringle concluded, “Our findings emphasize the importance of policies and practices that recognize Latine students’ cultural and linguistic strengths as vital to their academic and psychological wellbeing.”
This study enhances understanding of how trauma, language, and culture intersect to impact the academic success of Latine middle school students and outlines directions for future research to investigate further acculturation, enculturation, and students’ lived experiences as they navigate multiple challenges.
A copy of the study is found online at: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Flat0000305
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