Can Cultural Identity Clarity Protect the Well-Being of Latino/a Canadians From the Negative Impact of Race-Based Rejection Sensitivity? Mamta Vaswani, Lina Alviar, and Benjamin Giguère University of Guelph Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine the understudied immigration and acculturation experience of the growing Latino/a community in Canada. Specifically, we explored the impact of race-based rejection sensitivity on well-being, and whether cultural identity clarity could help curtail any negative effects. Hypothesis 1 was that race-based rejection sensitivity would be negatively associated with well-being. Hypothesis 2 was that cultural identity clarity would moderate the association between race-based rejection sensitivity and well-being such that Latino/a immigrants lower in cultural identity clarity would experience poorer well-being than those higher in cultural identity clarity. Method: A community sample of Latino/a immigrants (N = 136; M age = 38.21; 51.47% female) completed a survey including measures of race-based rejection sensitivity, cultural identity clarity, bicultural stress, self- esteem, and life satisfaction. Results: Correlation and regression analyses revealed that race-based rejection sensitivity was negatively associated with well-being. Additionally, high cultural identity clarity attenuated the negative association between race-based rejection sensitivity and well-being. Conclusion: Results of the present study suggest maintaining clarity over their heritage cultures postimmigration can be beneficial to Latino/a immigrants in Canada, in particular when they are sensitive to cues of racial discrimination. Keywords: Latino/a, racial discrimination, race-based rejection sensitivity, cultural identity clarity, well-being From schoolyard experiences during childhood to starting a new job in adulthood, feeling like we belong is something that most of us strive for (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Trying to fit in and be accepted can be even more challenging for members of minority cultures, such as immigrants. For instance, after moving to a new country, while engaging in the acculturation process immigrants will typically repeatedly attempt to participate in the mainstream society of their new host country. Unfortunately, many barriers will make this process challenging, among which discrimination is at the forefront. For example, immigrants in Canada have reported feeling discriminated against as they attempt to receive private and public services, secure employment and progress in their careers, engage in educational settings, find housing, and be involved in community organizations (Dion, 2001; Dion & Kawakami, 1996; Nangia, 2013). The consequences of discrimination on members of minority cultures has been well established (e.g., Branscombe, Schmitt, & Harvey, 1999; Noh & Kaspar, 2003; Williams, Neigh- bors, & Jackson, 2003). One such consequence is minority group members becoming sensitive to cues of rejection because of their racial and/or ethnic background (Mendoza-Denton, Downey, Purdie, Davis, & Pietrzak, 2002; Mendoza-Denton, Pietrzak, & Downey, 2008). The aim of the present study was, first, to examine the impact that sensitivity to rejection because of one’s racial and/or ethnic background has on well-being, and, second, drawing on a resil- iency perspective, to examine a positive process that may help curtail the negative effects of such sensitivity. Specifically, we examined the protective function of having a stable, clearly and confidently defined sense of one’s heritage cultural identity. The present study was conducted focusing on the experiences of the Latino/a-Canadian community whose acculturation experience remains understudied despite its increasing presence in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2011). Who is considered Latino/a is compli- cated by the racialization of visible minorities (see Armony, 2014). We have taken a self-identification approach, focusing on those who self-identify as Latino/a (approximately 2% of Canadians) as the target population of interest in the present study (see Armony, 2014; Statistics Canada, 2016). Discrimination, Sensitivity to Discrimination, and Well-Being The process of acculturation can be a difficult experience for immigrants. A primary factor impacting their acculturation expe- riences is how they are received or treated by majority group members of their new host country, which often includes some This article was published Online First August 22, 2019. X Mamta Vaswani, Lina Alviar, and Benjamin Giguère, Department of Psychology, University of Guelph. This research was supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) doctoral scholarship to Mamta Vaswani and a research grant to Benjamin Giguère. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mamta Vaswani or Benjamin Giguère, Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada. E-mail: mvaswani@uoguelph.ca or bgiguere@uoguelph.ca This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers. This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology © 2019 American Psychological Association 2020, Vol. 26, No. 3, 347–355 ISSN: 1099-9809 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000302 347