Self-harm Among Hispanic Adolescents: Investigating the Role of Culture-Related Stressors

Abstract

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents. Research shows Hispanic adolescents report disproportionate rates of both suicidal ideation and attempts. PURPOSE The purpose of the current study was twofold. First, the current study aimed to document the presence of suicidal ideation and self-harm behavior in a large, heterogeneous sample of Hispanic adolescents. Second, this study sought to identify specific and unique culturally relevant stressors that were associated with the higher self reported suicidal thoughts and self-harm among Hispanic males and females separately. METHOD Data were collected on 1,651 Hispanic adolescents, who completed the Hispanic Stress Inventory –Adolescent Version (Cervantes, et. al) 1) RESULTS Results of both rates and culture-related stressors that associated with the high rates suicidal ideation are presented. Of the eight subscales measured in the Hispanic Stress Inventory-A (HSI-A), four subscales were predictive of either suicidal ideation or self-harm. For males, Acculturation Gap stress was associated with suicidal thoughts and Discrimination Stress was associated with both suicidal thoughts and self-harm behavior. For females, Family Drug Stress was associated with suicidal thoughts. Acculturation Gap Stress, Family Drug Stress, and Immigration Stress were all significantly associated with self-harm behaviors. CONCLUSION Findings are discussed as they inform future culturally competent prevention interventions and future research studies.

The Hispanic Stress Inventory Version 2: Improving the assessment of acculturation stress.

“…The HSIA has subsequently been used in analyses to predict self-harm and suicidal behavior (Cervantes, Goldbach, Varela, & Santisteban, in press), and to distinguish clinical versus non-clinical group membership (Cervantes, Berger Cardoso, & Goldbach, in press). The HSIA taps into seven distinct domains of stress events common among Hispanic youth, and can be used in both research and clinical settings.…”

Stress and Multiple Substance Use Behaviors Among Hispanic Adolescents

“…Youth who report higher stress are significantly more likely to report internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Cervantes et al 2015), including suicidal ideation (Cervantes et al 2014). Similarly, discrimination, negative experiences in the USA post-immigration, and bicultural stress among Hispanic immigrant youth have been associated with lower self-esteem and increased depressive symptoms, aggressive behavior, and rule breaking (Schwartz et al 2013).…”

Trauma in Hispanic youth with psychiatric symptoms: Investigating gender and family effects.

“…The National Survey of Adolescents, which included a nationally representative sample of youth between the ages of 12 to 17 years of age found that 20.7% of Hispanic youth in the sample had experienced physical assault (compared to 15.5% of Caucasian adolescents) and 9.9% had experienced unwanted sexual assault (compared to 6.7% of Caucasian adolescents) (Crouch et al, 2000). Further, among immigrant Hispanic youth there may also be trauma related to violence in the country of origin or to the actual immigration process (Cervantes, Goldbach, Varela, & Santisteban, 2014; Fortuna, Porche, & Alegria, 2008). For example, in a convenience sample of recent immigrant youth in public schools in Los Angeles, 76% reported exposure to violence in their countries of origin (Jaycox, Stein, Kataoka, Wong, Fink, Escudero, & Zaragoza, 2002).…”