Examining Perceived Familial and Self-Endorsement of Marianismo Cultural Script Discrepancies as Mental Health Risk Factors in Latina Americans

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among adult Latina-American individuals has been on the rise despite strong familial-oriented belief systems 1–6. However, the exact role of marianismo as a determinant and predictor has been argued as a simultaneous protective and risk factor. Conflict between familial expectations and personal desires is thought to explain this health disparity 2-4. Basic psychological needs theory (BPNT) links the undermining of personal autonomy with detrimental emotional affect, and is hypothesized to have a unique, explanatory role in Latina familial-adult child relationships that result in depression and anxiety. Familial support of marianismo – female-specified cultural scripts that prioritize familial cohesion and spirituality – can directly suppress Latina-Americans' personal desires 7,8 and can explain why Latinas are more susceptible to experiencing negative affect across their lifespan 9–13 . However, familial support of marianismo, when not discrepant from self-endorsement can buffer the Latina against a multitude of health disparities and explain protective qualities 14–19 . The broad aim is to test multi-domain relational and individual mechanisms underlying depression, anxiety, and stress among Latina-American adults, specifically examining personal versus familial marianismo belief discrepancy (or similarity) as a potential source of tension enhancing risk of depressive and anxiety symptomology. Further, this proposal employs (BPNT) to explain these differential mental health outcomes. BPNT autonomy (feeling authentic) and relatedness (feeling belonging with the family) have demonstrated significant mental health consequences for adult children when unsupported by familial relationships 20-22. However, no study has investigated marianismo as differences in self versus familial beliefs, which satisfy or frustrate autonomy and relatedness, in relation to Latina-American depression, anxiety, and stress. This proposal addresses these gaps by (a) examining the links between marianismo self-endorsement and familial-endorsement as determinants of risk to depression, anxiety, and stress symptomology; (b) illustrating and understanding need frustrations (autonomy and relatedness) as explanatory mechanisms for negative mental affect; and (c) conducting three mediational models representing different statistical strategies to capture discrepancy. Further, in concordance with the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) goals to identify mechanisms and protective factors of disparities, this study aims to elucidate how depression and anxiety symptoms might be aggravated due to discrepancies between personal and familial beliefs in female cultural scripts, thus integrating BPNT to explain these protective and risk factors unique to Latina-Americans.