Amigas Latinas Motivando el Alma: Participant Perspectives on an In-Person and Online Implementation of an Intervention to Promote Mental Health in Latina Immigrant Women.

Amigas Latinas Motivando el Alma is a community-based intervention designed to increase social support and coping strategies among Latina immigrant women at risk for depression and anxiety. To assess satisfaction and perceived efficacy of the intervention, we conducted interviews with 32 participants that received the intervention in-person and online. Participants across both modalities found the program supportive in maintaining their mental health. They learned stress management techniques and found the support from facilitators and other participants helpful. Those receiving the intervention in-person were able to connect with other participants more easily than those that received it online. Those receiving it online noted distractions at home that made it challenging to fully engage. Community-based interventions that promote coping strategies and social support are a promising strategy for addressing mental health disparities among Latina immigrant women.TRN: NCT03749278, date of registration: November 21, 2018.

"Se vale llorar y se vale reír": Latina Immigrants' Coping Strategies for Maintaining Mental Health in the Face of Immigration-Related Stressors.

Latina immigrant women in the U.S. are at increased risk for poor mental health status, due to socioeconomic- and immigration-related stressors. We sought to describe the mechanisms linking immigration-related stressors and mental health, including how the current social and political climate affects women's mental health status, and which coping strategies are used to maintain well-being. We conducted four focus groups with Latina immigrants (N = 58) recruited through local community-based organizations. We drew on the stages of migration framework to guide our study design and analysis. Focus group transcripts were analyzed to identify emergent themes across groups. On average, focus group participants were 35.5 years old and had lived in the U.S. for 12.5 years. Most were from Mexico. Participants reported immigration-related stressors including unsafe migration, worry about immigration enforcement, broken social ties, and limited access to health and social services. In the face of these stressors, they relied on transnational social networks and connections with other Latina immigrant women. Social ties with family in the U.S. also helped them alleviate social isolation and overcome barriers to social services. Those who were mothers expressed that their children were a source of encouragement and comfort with feelings of stress. Immigration policies that contribute to unsafe migration, worry about immigration enforcement, limited social ties, and limited access to social services were associated with increased stress among Latina immigrants who participated in the focus groups. These participants could benefit from increased access to mental health care and community-based programs that connect them to resources.