Emotional wellbeing and coping among Latinx young adults in the time of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the wellbeing of the general US population, but even more so among Latinx young adults. The current study provides a detailed picture of the emotional wellbeing and coping of Latinx young adults during the first summer of the pandemic. Six virtual focus groups (n = 21) were conducted between May and August of 2020 with a community-based sample of Latinx young adults to explore (1) how the pandemic affected wellbeing and (2) how they coped with pandemic-related stress. Contextualistic thematic analysis identified important themes and subthemes. Perceived stressors impacting emotional wellbeing yielded one overarching theme: COVID-related disruptions in the participants' environment. To manage this heightened stress, another overarching theme was self-care and intentionality during the pandemic. Future studies should examine the wellbeing of young adults across social contexts and at more recent stages of the pandemic. Findings from this study suggest culturally- and developmentally-tailored interventions are needed as this population navigates contextual stress during a sensitive period in their life.

Maternal and Child Depressive Symptoms in a Sample of Low-income Families of Color: The Mediating Role of Child Adaptability.

Maternal depressive symptoms are linked with child internalizing concerns, such as depressive symptoms. The impact that maternal depressive symptoms have on the onset and maintenance of child depressive symptoms might be especially salient in families of color who are low-income because of elevated rates of maternal depressive symptoms and environmental stressors in those populations. The relationship between maternal and child depressive symptoms might be partially explained by a child's capacity to flexibly respond to stressors in the environment, a construct known as adaptability. A simple mediation model was conducted with a sample of low-income, Black/African American and Latina mothers and their children (n = 128). Results suggested that child adaptability partially mediated the link between maternal and child depressive symptoms. We discussed how this study can inform research and practice that aim to assist low-income families of color with mental health needs.

Mexican immigrant parents' hopes for their children and parenting strategies in different immigration climates.

In the present article, we explore the hopes that immigrant parents of Mexican origin have for their children and the strategies they employ to foster such hopes in light of immigration status, immigration climate, and transnational lived experiences. We conducted six focus groups with 42 immigrant parents of Mexican origin living in Arizona and Texas to explore their hopes and strategies used to foster hopes. Parents, the majority of whom were mothers, defined hopes in terms of what they can provide to their children, including (a) a better life through education and economic opportunities, (b) a strong moral and civic upbringing, and (c) safety from neighborhood crime and hostile immigrant climates. Parents fostered these hopes through the strategies of using self as example, parental involvement and monitoring, self-sacrifice, and family unity. Mothers of unauthorized immigration status raising children in a harsh immigration climate also avoided undue public exposure to ensure their children's safety, a task that was difficult for fathers as breadwinners. Immigration status and climate influenced parents' ability to provide opportunities for their children to pursue educational and career opportunities. We discuss parents' hopes and parenting strategies in the context of different immigration climates, highlight emerging gender differences, and provide recommendations for research and practice.

En el presente artículo, analizamos las esperanzas que tienen los padres inmigrantes de origen mexicano para sus hijos y las estrategias que emplean para alimentar dichas esperanzas teniendo en cuenta la situación migratoria, el ambiente de inmigración y las experiencias transnacionales vividas. Organizamos seis grupos de análisis con 42 padres inmigrantes de origen mexicano que viven en Arizona y Texas con el fin de analizar sus esperanzas y estrategias utilizadas para alimentar esperanzas. Los padres, la mayoría de los cuales eran madres, definieron las esperanzas desde el punto de vista de lo que les pueden facilitar a sus hijos, por ejemplo, una vida mejor mediante oportunidades educativas y económicas, una fuerte educación cívica y moral, y protección contra la delincuencia barrial y los ambientes hostiles de inmigrantes. Los padres alimentaron estas esperanzas mediante las estrategias de uso de su propio ejemplo, su participación y supervisión, el sacrificio propio y la unidad familiar. Las madres de situación migratoria no autorizada que criaron hijos en un ambiente hostil de inmigrantes también evitaron la exposición pública excesiva para garantizar la seguridad de sus hijos, una tarea que fue difícil para los padres como sostenes de la familia. La situación y el ambiente migratorios influyeron en la capacidad de los padres de brindar posibilidades a sus hijos de seguir oportunidades educativas y profesionales. Explicamos las esperanzas de los padres y las estrategias de crianza en el contexto de diferentes ambientes de inmigración, destacamos las diferencias de género que surgieron, y ofrecemos recomendaciones para la investigación y la práctica.

A storyboarding approach to train school mental health providers and paraprofessionals in the delivery of a strengths-based program for Latinx families affected by maternal depression.

Mental health professionals in schools and the community are often overburdened and underfunded in high-need areas, limiting their capacity to deliver needed family-based mental health interventions. To address this issue, paraprofessional school personnel (e.g., family engagement liaisons) can facilitate these family-based mental health interventions alongside licensed mental health professionals, thereby increasing access to mental health services for families with mental health needs. To train professional and paraprofessional school personnel in maternal depression and interventions, we used storyboarding, a narrative storytelling method traditionally used to create films. Latinx families who had previously participated in a family-focused program for maternal depression shared real life stories focused on themes of (a) maternal depression, (b) impact on children, (c) cultural views and role of immigration, (d) self-harm and suicide, and (e) what families need. In this conceptual paper, we describe our engagement of families in a multistep process of storyboarding that resulted in video modules of family stories for a training website and in-person workshop for school professionals and paraprofessionals. We conclude with how community-engaged tools such as storyboarding can be used to increase awareness and reduce stigma of maternal depression among staff training to deliver family-focused mental health programs in schools.

The intersection of immigration policy impacts and COVID-19 for Latinx young adults.

For many Latinx young adults, COVID-19 has exposed exclusionary policies that heighten risk for contracting the virus and that leave them and their parents unprotected. This study has a dual purpose; first, to quantitatively examine immigration policy impacts of discrimination, isolation, threats to family, and vulnerability, and their association to economic consequences experienced by Latinx young adults in Central Texas during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, to qualitatively explore how policy impacts affected Latinx young adults during the pandemic, and the coping mechanisms they utilized to minimize these impacts. Quantitative results show that on average, Latinx young adults (N = 83) reported low discrimination and isolation but moderate threats to family and vulnerability, with rates of isolation and vulnerability higher for foreign-born than U.S.-born Latinx young adults. Perceived discrimination due to one's own or family immigration status was associated with economic hardship. Qualitative findings show that Latinx young adults (n = 21) experienced (a) precarious conditions that pose a threat of COVID-19 infection for Latinxs, (b) parental job loss due to vulnerable employment leads to deprivation, and (c) policies that disproportionally discriminate against the Latinx community and exclude them from vital services. Despite these challenges, participants also drew on resilience and expressed hope for the future. The article concludes with implications for policymakers and practitioners to provide protections and services to Latinx young adults and their family members.

Emotional Reactions and Coping of Mexican Mixed-Status Immigrant Families in Anticipation of the 2016 Presidential Election.

The present study illuminates the emotions of mixed-status families as they anticipated the 2016 Presidential election. From a 6-year longitudinal case study of four Mexican immigrant families, we present interviews from May of 2016, prior to the presidential primaries, and from November of 2016, the day before or the day of the presidential election. Using a multiple case study method (Stake, 2006, Multiple case study analysis. Guilford Press, New York; Yin, 2014, Case study research: Design and methods (5th ed.). Sage, Los Angeles, CA), our primary goal was to describe how immigrant Mexican adults and their preadolescent and adolescent children (or grandchildren) personally and collectively reacted emotionally to the events leading up to the 2016 presidential election, and how they managed and coped with their emotions. Our secondary goal was to explain how their emotional reactions changed over time and were influenced by age and immigration status. Initially, participants expressed concern and fear about the anti-immigration rhetoric by the conservative political movement, but largely felt reassured that such rhetoric would not prevail. In the days immediately preceding the election, a notable change seemed apparent among all participants, regardless of immigration status. They expressed having intense emotions ranging from fear and angst to disbelief, anger, and denial, which they attempted to manage through external (e.g., community involvement, activism, solidarity) and internal (e.g., family communication, cognitive strategies) actions. Older adolescents had a better understanding of the implications of the election for their family than younger adolescents did. We provide recommendations for family practice and policy aimed to support and advocate on behalf of immigrant families.

El presente estudio explica las emociones de las familias cuyos miembros tienen distinta situación migratoria mientras esperaban la elección presidencial de 2016. De un caso práctico longitudinal de seis años de cuatro familias de inmigrantes mexicanos, presentamos entrevistas de mayo de 2016, antes de las primarias presidenciales, y de noviembre de 2016, el día antes o el día de la elección presidencial. Utilizando un método de casos prácticos múltiples (Stake, 2006; Yin, 2014), nuestro objetivo principal fue describir cómo los adultos inmigrantes mexicanos y sus hijos preadolescentes y adolescentes (o nietos) reaccionaron personal y colectivamente a los acontecimientos previos a la elección presidencial de 2016, y cómo manejaron y afrontaron sus emociones. Nuestro objetivo secundario fue explicar cómo sus reacciones emocionales cambiaron con el tiempo y estuvieron influenciadas por la edad y la situación inmigratoria. Inicialmente, los participantes expresaron preocupación y miedo acerca de la retórica contra los inmigrantes por parte del movimiento político conservador, pero en su gran mayoría estaban convencidos de que dicha retórica no prevalecería. Los días inmediatamente anteriores a la elección, se hizo evidente un cambio notable entre todos los participantes, independientemente de la situación de inmigración. Ellos dijeron tener emociones intensas, desde miedo y angustia hasta incredulidad, ira y rechazo, que intentaron manejar mediante medidas externas (p. ej.: participación en la comunidad, activismo, solidaridad) e internas (p. ej.: comunicación familiar, estrategias cognitivas). Los adolescentes mayores tuvieron una mejor comprensión de las implicancias de la elección para su familia que los adolescentes más jóvenes. Ofrecemos recomendaciones para la práctica familiar orientadas a apoyar y a abogar por las familias inmigrantes.

The Relationship Between Maternal Depression, Externalizing and Internalizing Problems in Children, and Caregiving Burden in Urban Low-Income Ethnic and Racial Minority Families.

A strong relationship exists between maternal depression and externalizing and internalizing problems in children, and caregiving burden might mediate this relationship. Yet, caregiving burden has rarely been tested as a mechanism underlying the relationship between maternal depression and child emotional and behavioral outcomes. Caregiving burden might be especially high in ethnic and racial minority mother-child dyads in low-income settings where there are more stressors in the environment and rates of maternal depression are elevated. A path analysis with 132 low-income urban mothers who mostly identified as racial and ethnic minorities confirmed our hypothesis that maternal depression has a direct effect on child externalizing and internalizing problems, and also an indirect effect through caregiving burden. We discuss implications of the findings with respect to research, practice, and policy with low-income, ethnic and racial minority families whose mothers have depression and care for children who exhibit externalizing and internalizing problems.

Food Insecurity and Housing Instability Partially Mediate the Association Between Maternal Depression and Child Problem Behavior.

Maternal depression is a risk factor for the development of problem behavior in children. Although food insecurity and housing instability are associated with adult depression and child behavior, how these economic factors mediate or moderate the relationship between maternal depression and child problem behavior is not understood. The purpose of this study was to determine whether food insecurity and housing instability are mediators and/or moderators of the relationship between maternal depression when children are age 3 and children's problem behaviors at age 9 and to determine whether these mechanisms differ by race/ethnicity. We used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Food insecurity and housing instability at age 5 were tested as potential mediators and moderators of the relationship between maternal depression status at age 3 and problem behavior at age 9. A path analysis confirmed our hypothesis that food insecurity and housing instability partially mediate the relationship between maternal depression when children are age 3 and problem behavior at age 9. However, housing instability was only a mediator for externalizing problem behavior and not internalizing problem behavior or overall problem behavior. Results of the moderation analysis suggest that neither food insecurity nor housing instability were moderators. None of the mechanisms explored differed by race/ethnicity. While our findings stress the continued need for interventions that address child food insecurity, they emphasize the importance of interventions that address maternal mental health throughout a child's life. Given the central role of maternal health in child development, additional efforts should be made to target maternal depression.

Economic and Social Consequences of COVID-19 and Mental Health Burden Among Latinx Young Adults During the 2020 Pandemic.

Latinx young adults 18-25 years old face unique challenges that disproportionately put them at high risk of experiencing health as well as economic and social burden due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The present study examined how economic and psychosocial consequences as a result of the pandemic were associated with mental health issues among a community sample of Latinx young adults (N = 83) from Central Texas. Participants completed an online survey of COVID-related experiences and mental health needs. The survey asked about personal and family experiences of COVID-19 in two significant areas: (a) economic strain (e.g., economic hardship, food insecurity) and (b) psychosocial burden (e.g., losing relationships, substance use). Regression analyses examined the association of COVID-19 consequences on level of mental health symptoms and clinically significant outcomes. Relative to economic consequences, psychosocial consequences due to the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with higher levels of mental health symptoms. In contrast, in few cases, economic strain resultant from the pandemic was correlated with clinically significant outcomes among this sample. Collectively, findings suggest that the costs of the pandemic do not only pertain to mortality from illness but also to morbidity as it relates to deteriorating social circumstances and mental health. Findings from this study call for immediate attention to implement policies and programs to help mitigate the economic and social-emotional consequences of COVID-19 such as easy access to low-cost virtual mental health resources to Latinx young adults.

Los adultos jóvenes latinos de 18 a 25 años enfrentan desafíos únicos que los ponen de manera desproporcionada en un alto riesgo de sufrir consecuencias de salud, económicas y sociales debido a la pandemia del COVID-19. El estudio presente examinó cómo las consecuencias económicas y psicosociales a raíz de la pandemia se asociaron con problemas de salud mental en una muestra comunitaria de adultos jóvenes latinos (N = 83) del centro de Texas. Los participantes completaron una encuesta en línea sobre experiencias relacionadas con el COVID-19 y necesidades de salud mental. La encuesta incluyó preguntas sobre las experiencias personales y familiares del COVID-19 en dos áreas importantes: (a) tensión económica (por ejemplo, dificultades económicas, inseguridad alimentaria) y (b) carga psicosocial (por ejemplo, pérdida de relaciones, consumo de sustancias). Los análisis de regresión examinaron la asociación de las consecuencias del COVID-19 en el nivel de los síntomas de salud mental y los resultados clínicamente significativos. En comparación a las consecuencias económicas, las consecuencias psicosociales debido a la pandemia de COVID-19 se asociaron con niveles más altos de síntomas de salud mental. Por el contrario, en unos pocos casos, la tensión económica resultante de la pandemia se correlacionó con resultados clínicamente significativos en esta muestra. En conjunto, los hallazgos sugieren que los costos de la pandemia no solo se refieren a la mortalidad por enfermedad, sino también a la al deterioro de las circunstancias sociales y la salud mental. Los hallazgos de este estudio exigen atención inmediata para implementar políticas y programas que ayuden a mitigar las consecuencias económicas y socioemocionales del COVID-19, como el fácil acceso a recursos virtuales de salud mental de bajo costo para adultos jóvenes latinos.