To What Factors Do Rural-Dwelling Hispanics Attribute Depressive Symptoms?

Abstract

This study is a retrospective chart review comparing rural-dwelling Caucasian and Hispanic outpatients' attribution of depressive symptoms. Based on the data gathered at intake, Hispanics were more likely to attribute depression to curse/spell and supernatural causes, while Caucasians were more likely to attribute symptoms to hereditary factors or job stress. Among both groups, higher CESD score was associated with problems with significant others or how they got along with others. Among Hispanics, depression severity was additionally associated with problems related to job or finances. Our findings point to a consequential role for clinical inquiry into attributed causes of depressive symptoms.

Mental Health Attribution for Mexican-Origin Latinx and Non-Latinx Older Adults: A Latent Class Analysis

“…However, psychometrically validated questionnaires assessing cultural health and mental health beliefs and attributions are currently limited. Thus, the current study’s questionnaire serves an adequate purpose for assessing cross-cultural mental health attributions for a low-literacy population ( Vahia et al, 2013 ), but could benefit from validation through exploratory and confirmation factory analyses. Future researchers may also wish to use a more involved measure that specifically targets Latinx health beliefs, such as the Cultural Health Attributions Questionnaire ( Murguia et al, 2000 ), which has benefited from some evaluation and revision ( Fox et al, 2015 ).…”

“… Vahia et al (2013) developed a 13-item questionnaire to identify four primary domains (genetic/biological factors, social/interpersonal factors, economic factors, and cultural factors) to which Mexican Americans attribute symptoms of physical and mental illness. The items were developed based on a literature review and finalized through a consensus process with clinical experts ( Vahia et al, 2013 ).…”

“… Vahia et al (2013) developed a 13-item questionnaire to identify four primary domains (genetic/biological factors, social/interpersonal factors, economic factors, and cultural factors) to which Mexican Americans attribute symptoms of physical and mental illness. The items were developed based on a literature review and finalized through a consensus process with clinical experts ( Vahia et al, 2013 ). A three-point scale (0 = “no,” 1 = “maybe,” and 2 = “yes”) was used to be accessible to the clinic’s low-literacy population ( Vahia et al, 2013 ), which were dichotomized for the analysis to ease interpretability, so that 0 = “no” and 1 = “maybe” and “yes” responses.…”

“…The items were developed based on a literature review and finalized through a consensus process with clinical experts ( Vahia et al, 2013 ). A three-point scale (0 = “no,” 1 = “maybe,” and 2 = “yes”) was used to be accessible to the clinic’s low-literacy population ( Vahia et al, 2013 ), which were dichotomized for the analysis to ease interpretability, so that 0 = “no” and 1 = “maybe” and “yes” responses. Patients were asked, “What do you consider the cause of your ailments?” for each of 13 possible causes, grouped into substantive clusters by the current authors for analytic interpretability ( Table 3 ).…”

Adolescent Alexithymia Research: Indigenous Sample Compared to Hispanic Sample in Southern Chile

“…We found several circumstances gathered that are known to contribute to development of alexithymia. Hispanic participants (Martinez Sanchez & Costa Ball, 2013;Paez & Vergara, 1995;Vahia & Ng, 2013) with low socioeconomic status (Berenbaum, 1994;Joukamaa et al, 2007;Kauhanen, 1993;Kokkonen et al, 2001;Mattila et al, 2006;Mattila et al, 2007;Salminen, Saarijarvi, Aarela, Toikka, & Kauhanen, 1999) and high power distance (Hofstede, 1991;Leff, 1977;Matsumoto, 1989;Paez et al, 1999) which are exposed to rigid parental, scholar and societal-structures that do restrict upward mobility and individualized open minded development. Teachers reported serious difficulties in communicating with the participants.…”