Mexican-descent adolescents have higher rates of depressive symptoms compared to those of other ethnic groups. One process that has been related to this mental health disparity is intergenerational acculturative conflict (IAC). Little is known about factors that may be protective when IAC occurs. One factor that may be protective is familismo. In the present study, we hypothesized that higher levels of familismo would be protective in that it would reduce depressive symptoms for those experiencing IAC. The sample included 524 Mexican descent adolescents (53.1% young women; mean age ϭ 16.23, SD ϭ 1.10, range ϭ 14 -20) from a high school in South Texas. A hierarchical linear regression was performed, and results indicated that higher levels of IAC are related to higher levels of depressive symptoms (b ϭ 2.67, p Ͻ .001) and higher levels of familismo values are related to lower levels of depressive symptoms (b ϭ Ϫ2.02, p ϭ .008). Additionally, familismo values moderated the relationship between IAC and depressive symptoms (b ϭ Ϫ1.79, p ϭ .012). Moderation results from this study show that higher levels of familismo values play a protective role in reducing the role of IAC on depressive symptoms among Mexicandescent adolescents. Even though IAC is present, familismo values may be key in preventing or reducing negative mental health outcomes, such as depressive symptoms, among Mexican-descent adolescents.
What is the significance of this article for the general public?The study suggests that the traditional cultural value of familismo may protect against the association of intergenerational acculturative stress on depressive symptoms among Mexican-descent adolescents. This suggests that further understanding of this cultural process could prove to be fruitful in decreasing mental health disparities for Latinx youth, namely regarding depressive symptoms. Preventative options could be to provide Latinx families with information on mental health problems, as well as how parentchild relationships can significantly affect mental health. Also important is creating culturally competent mental health services and training mental health professionals about treatments that include adolescents and caregivers.
Objective: To test the acculturation gap hypothesis by examining mother-youth value discrepancies (both acculturative and enculturative) and their association with mother-youth acculturative conflict and youth mental health outcomes. Method: Participants were 273 Mexican descent college students attending a large, public, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in West Texas (72% women). The participants' ages ranged 18-25 years (M = 19.33 years; SD = 1.54 years).Results: Three models assessed the relationship between mother-youth value discrepancies and mental health outcomes (suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury, and depressive symptoms) as mediated by mother-youth acculturative conflict. Consistently, Mexican heritage cultural values were related to mental health outcomes while American cultural values were not.
Conclusions:The study found that increased mother-youth discrepancies on Mexican cultural values were associated with increased negative mental health outcomes. Our findings suggest that adopting or learning new mainstream American values does not substitute for the Mexican cultural values that protect against negative outcomes.
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