Typologies of cultural stressors and assets: Exploring differential associations with prosocial behaviors and depressive symptoms among Latino/a young adults.

Abstract

Objectives: Scholars have demonstrated the consequences of cultural stressors on Latino/a adolescents' depressive symptoms and prosocial behaviors. However, there is little understanding of how different combinations of cultural stressors and assets might differentially relate to depressive symptoms and prosocial behaviors, particularly in young adulthood. This study used latent profile analysis to identify varying levels of cultural stressors (foreigner objectification and U.S. marginalization) and assets (family respect values and ethnic identity commitment) among Latino/a young adults. We then examined how profiles differentially relate to three forms of prosocial behaviors (care-based, altruistic, and public) and depressive symptoms. Method: Data derived from a national convenience sample of 1,288 U.S. Latino/a 18-21-year olds who completed a survey. Most were born in the United States (85%) and identified as women (72%). Results: Latent profile analysis revealed three profiles: (1) low cultural stressors/moderate cultural assets, (2) moderate cultural stressors and assets, and (3) high cultural stressors and assets. Profile 3 reported higher care-based prosocial behaviors compared to those with Profile 1; yet, those with Profile 1 had higher care-based prosocial behaviors compared to those with Profile 2. For altruistic and public prosocial behaviors, Profile 1 had higher and lower scores, respectively, compared to the other two profiles. Profile 1 showed lower scores for depressive symptoms compared to the other two profiles. Conclusions: Results indicate a nuanced interrelated pattern of cultural stressors and assets that vary and differentially relate to prosocial behaviors and depressive symptoms in Latino/a young adults. Public Significance StatementThis study finds that different levels of cultural stressors and cultural assets are differentially associated with Latino/a young adults' prosocial behaviors and depressive symptoms. In general, a strong connection to ethnic/racial identity and family respect values when facing high levels of cultural stressors seems to promote greater forms of some prosocial behaviors. However, strong cultural assets might not alone be sufficient to protect Latino/a young adults from the mental health consequences of cultural stressors.