Perceived reasons for depression among low income women of Mexican descent

Rural Latinos’ Mental Wellbeing: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study of Family, Environment and Social Isolation Factors

“…Adolescents suffered similar emotional issues presented by their mothers and a lack of friends, parental immigration status, and difficulty with the language within the school environment were significant barriers to social connection. These findings are similar to those previously reported in the literature on mental health in Latino women and adolescents (Heilemann, et al, 2004; Ornelas, et al, 2009; Shattell, Smith, Quinlan-Colwell, & Villalba, 2008), indicating that our results may have a high degree of reliability.…”

“…Familismo has been found to be negatively associated with depressive symptoms for parents and negatively associated with internalizing behavior for children (Heilemann, et al, 2004). Although this study did not confirm the association of familismo with adolescent mental well-being, several studies have found that familismo has a direct relationship with adolescent suicide attempts (Peña et al 2011).…”

“…In fact, higher levels of perceived discrimination have been found to negatively impact mental health in adults and adolescent (Finch, 2000; Heilemann, et al, 2004), particularly when combined with fear of deportation due to immigration status (Finch, 2000; Nair, et al, 2013). Discrimination has been described as worse in rural environments (Carlisle, Mamdani, Schachar, & To, 2012); it can affect first-generation Latino youth even after a short time (i.e.…”

“…Despite all the challenges to the family upon immigration to the U.S., without the support of their extended family networks, familismo may still protect the mental well-being of family members (Gonzales et al, 2011; Heilemann, Coffey-Love, & Frutos, 2004; Schmitz, 2006). Familismo is a deeply held Latino cultural value, which refers to the priority placed on the family and the willingness to sacrifice personal interests for the greater good of the family unit, as well as strong feelings of family member support (e.g.…”

Health behavior change benefits: Perspectives of Latinos with serious mental illness

“…Previous studies have consistently found that among different Latino groups (e.g., Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Mexicans, Cubans) mental illness was perceived to have a reciprocal relationship with chronic physical illnesses (Cabassa, Hansen, Palinkas, & Ell, 2008; Cherrington, Ayala, Sleath, & Corbie-Smith, 2006; Heilemann, Coffey-Love, & Frutos, 2004; Pincay & Guarnaccia, 2007). In these studies, Latinos believed that the onset of a chronic physical illness, such as diabetes, was precipitated by an extreme emotional or stressful event.…”