Postpartum depressive symptoms in low-income Latinas: Cultural and contextual contributors.

Objective: Using a conceptual model of postpartum depression risk in Latinas including both contextual and cultural stressors, we tested contributions to depressive symptom levels and trajectories over the course of 1 year following birth in a community sample of Latinas. Method: A multisite sample of low-income U.S.-born and foreign-born Latinas (n = 537; M age = 25.70) was interviewed on many topics including measures of stress and maternal health at 1, 6, and 12 months postpartum. Nested multilevel growth curve models were implemented to test associations of contextual stressors (poverty, domestic violence) with trajectories of depressive symptoms, adjusting for confounds. This model was compared to 1 that added cultural stress variables (everyday discrimination, foreign-born status, language preference, age at immigration) measured 1-month postpartum. Results: The best fitting model provided evidence for the independent effects of cultural and contextual stressors. Discrimination (β = .13 SE = .02, p =
Source: Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research