The protective role of culture: Familism, depressive symptoms, and stress among U.S.- and foreign-born Latina mothers.

Achieving health equity for U.S. Latinas requires a better understanding of how cultural factors influence mental health, especially during life transitions. This study examined one cultural factor, familism, in relation to depressive symptoms and stress among U.S.- and foreign-born Latinas during early parenting. We also tested whether associations varied by nativity. Data were drawn from a sample of 420 U.S.- and foreign-born Latina mothers participating in a large, multisite, community-based study in the United States. Familism was measured at 12 months postpartum across three facets: (a) family obligations, (b) family as a source of support, and (c) family as referents. Depressive symptoms and perceived stress were measured at 12 and 18 months after birth using standardized scales. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that 1 year after the birth of a child, higher familism was associated with lower depressive symptoms and lower perceived stress. Six months later, only the family support facet of familism remained significantly associated with lower perceived stress, but not with lower depressive symptoms. U.S.-born Latinas endorsed lower levels of familism compared to foreign-born Latinas. Moderation analyses showed that familism was associated with lower perceived stress at 18 months after birth among U.S.-born Latinas, but not among foreign-born Latinas. Familism may play a protective role against depression and stress in the early parenting period, particularly for U.S.-born Latina mothers. These findings highlight the importance of Latinx culture as a potential source of resilience and can inform efforts to improve mental health among childbearing Latinas.