Determinants of psychological distress among Latina young adults during initial years in the United States.

OBJECTIVES

This longitudinal study investigated how theorized cultural-, interpersonal/familial-, and individual-level experiences during initial years after immigrating to the United States may relate to changes in psychological distress over time among young adult Latina women in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States (U.S.).

METHODS

Using latent growth curve modeling, we examined trajectories of psychological distress reported by 530 Latina women (aged 18-23 years) during their initial years in the U.S. The sample's mean length of time in the United States since immigration was 11.52 months (SD = 9.94) at baseline assessment. Trajectories of distress were measured over a three-year time period. We investigated whether cultural- (immersion to dominant society/assimilation, immersion to ethnic society/enculturation, acculturative stress, marianismo), interpersonal/familial- (trust and communication with parents, peers, partner), and individual- (immigration authorization status, education level, relationship status) level determinants experienced soon after immigration predicted changes in participants' distress over a subsequent two-year time period.

RESULTS

At baseline assessment, participants' psychological distress was associated with higher levels of acculturative stress (β = .63, p < .001). Over time, the average level of women's distress significantly declined (b = -.10, p = .001). Steeper declines in distress over time were reported by women who reported more baseline acculturative stress (β = -.80, p < .001) and less baseline trust and communication with their parents, peers, and partners (β = .52, p = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings inform theoretical and empirical knowledge bases concerning determinants of psychological distress during initial years after immigration among foreign-born young Latina women in the U.S. The study provides a longitudinal examination of psychological distress during the rarely studied time period of initial years in the U.S. Results elucidate the substantive influence of acculturative stress and interpersonal/familial relationship dynamics soon after immigration. Mental health interventions should attend to these modifiable factors during young Latina women's early years in the U.S. to reduce psychological distress and promote well-being soon after immigration and subsequent years.