Depression in Latina Mothers: Examining the Roles of Acculturation, Enculturation, Social Support and Family Resources
Abstract
Previous findings on the relation between acculturation and depression have been mixed, such that acculturation has been demonstrated as a protective factor, risk factor, and neutral factor in depressive symptomology (e.g., Lara et al., 2005). The current study sought to clarify this relation by examining three conceptual models of acculturation utilized in previous research: 1) unidimensional models, 2) bidimensional models, and 3) multidimensional models. This study utilized archived data from a randomized clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of SafeCare+, a home-based child maltreatment prevention model that was culturally adapted for a Midwestern Latino community. Results from the study indicated that the multidimensional model demonstrated the best fit for depression scores when compared to the unidimensional and bidimensional models. Within the multidimensional model, neither acculturation nor enculturation were significantly related to depression, however, increased family resources and social support were related to decreased depressive symptomology. Findings offer clarity to the complex relation between acculturation and depression in Latina women and inform future research in the conceptualization and measurement of acculturation.
Collections
- OSU Theses [15752]