Parent–Child Cultural Value Gaps and Depressive Symptoms Among Mexican American Youth

Abstract

Abstract:Cultural value gaps between Mexican American parents and their children are hypothesized to place youth at risk for poor mental health outcomes. While most studies examine these gaps on broad measures of acculturation, the present study examined value gaps in affiliative obedience, a cultural value that has at its core the belief that respect and deference must be shown to parents and adults. The present study hypothesized that adolescents would exhibit greater depressive symptoms when youth demonstrated lower levels of affiliative obedience than their mothers. Moreover, we examined whether gender, nativity status, and age predicted cultural value gaps and moderated the relationship between gaps and depressive symptoms. These questions were evaluated in a school-based sample of 159 Mexican American families whose children were either US born (n = 82) or foreign-born (n = 77). Twenty-five percent of the sample demonstrated a cultural value gap where youth endorsed lower levels of affiliative obedience than their parents, and this group reported the greatest depressive symptoms. Age moderated this relationship, and the greatest association between cultural value gaps and depression was found among the older group of early adolescents.

Familial Cultural Values, Depressive Symptoms, School Belonging and Grades in Latino Adolescents: Does Gender Matter?

“…For this reason, it is possible a low value of affiliative obedience may lead to more conflict for females if it is conflicting with parental expectations and beliefs, leading to greater depressive symptoms in females. This rationale is consistent with past research documenting the cultural value gaps in affiliative obedience are associated with greater depressive symptoms in Mexican-American youth (Stein and Polo 2014). Similar to the reasons filial obligations were more protective for female adolescents, parents may also reward daughters more for obeying and acting respectful.…”

Familism through a developmental lens.

“…Finally, other studies have considered discrepancies in parent and child reports of attitudinal familism. Parentchild alignment on attitudinal familism was protective against both internalizing and externalizing symptoms ( Bamaca-Colbert & Gayles, 2010;Baumann, Kuhlberg, & Zayas, 2010;Kuhlberg, Peña, & Zayas, 2010;Stein & Polo, 2014).…”

A Value Model for Depressive Symptoms and Hopelessness Among University Students in Turkey

“…behaviors being in line with familial expectations) values were related to lower levels of depressive symptoms among young individuals of Mexican-origin (Zeiders et al, 2013). Low affiliative obedience (respect for parental authority) was associated with greater levels of depressive symptoms in Mexican-American youth (Stein & Polo, 2014). Higher levels of familism and filial obligation values were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms among Latino youth (Cupito, Stein, & Gonzalez, 2015).…”