Latina/o Children Living With an Immigrant Mother With Depression: Developmental and Cultural Nuances in Recognition and Coping

Abstract

The psychological experience of maternal depression and its impact on immigrant Latina/o families often goes unrecognized and unaddressed. Children may feel especially helpless and confused about the changes they observe in their mothers’ mood and behavior, and about the deterioration of family relationships. Given the interdependence of family structures of immigrant Latina/o households, maternal depression can be detrimental to Latina/o youth attributions and coping strategies, and to their relationship with their mothers. The quantitative focus of most research on maternal depression in Latina/o samples limits our understanding of family processes in maternal depression. The current qualitative study explores the perceived impact of maternal depression on Latina/o youths’ attributions and coping strategies. This inquiry involved focus groups with 12 participants aged 9–16 years to explore their perspectives on maternal depression. All youth had participated in a 12‐week multifamily group intervention focused on building family and cultural strengths to address maternal depression on immigrant Latina/o families. Findings of the focus groups illuminated the essential experience of youth living with maternal depression, and indicated that there are developmental considerations for how youth recognize and make meaning of maternal depression, and cope with disrupted family life. Additionally, youth reported engaging in these culture‐specific ways of coping: using close sibling relationships and family structure as support, having fathers and extended family members engage in additional and restorative parenting practices, and participating in religious practices to seek refuge from family stress. We propose considerations for intervention and further areas of research.

A storyboarding approach to train school mental health providers and paraprofessionals in the delivery of a strengths‐based program for Latinx families affected by maternal depression

“…When a mother has depression, family stability, expression of nurturance, and parenting competence become diminished (Valdez, Abegglen, et al, 2013). Children may feel helpless and confused about the changes they observe in their mother's mood and behavior, and about the deterioration of family relationships (Goodman et al, 2011; Timko et al, 2009; Valdez et al, 2019; Valdez, Abegglen, et al, 2013; Valdez, Padilla, et al, 2013). Because of cultural obligations to the family in Latinx culture, school‐age children may attribute maternal depression to their own behavior (e.g., think it is their fault), and feel especially burdened by their strained relationships with their mother (Valdez et al, 2019).…”

“…Children may feel helpless and confused about the changes they observe in their mother's mood and behavior, and about the deterioration of family relationships (Goodman et al, 2011; Timko et al, 2009; Valdez et al, 2019; Valdez, Abegglen, et al, 2013; Valdez, Padilla, et al, 2013). Because of cultural obligations to the family in Latinx culture, school‐age children may attribute maternal depression to their own behavior (e.g., think it is their fault), and feel especially burdened by their strained relationships with their mother (Valdez et al, 2019). At the same time, Latinx families possess significant cultural wealth (Fernandez et al, 2020; Yosso, 2005) that can protect them from adversity.…”