Research That Matters (January 17 - 20, 2008)

While studies on hopelessness are abundant, there appears to be no information available about hopelessness in women due to mother-child conflicts. In addition, although small numbers of Hispanics have been included in some hopelessness studies, there are no extant studies utilizing a sample of exclusively Hispanic-women. This study examines the factors associated with hopelessness in a sample of Hispanic mothers. Hopelessness is conceptualized as an individual's negative expectancies regarding the future (Beck, Weissman, Lester & Trexler, 1974) and is considered an important concept in mental health (Dunn, 2005). The literature indicates that hopelessness affects both sexes but in women it has been identified as an important source of psychological distress. Hopelessness has been linked to depression and suicidal ideation (Hirsch & Conner, 2006; Becker et al., 1993). The study utilized Wave 1 data from the Arizona sample of the Latino Acculturation and Health Project, a longitudinal study of acculturation and health outcomes among Latino families living in Arizona and North Carolina. The sample for this analysis was limited to women (n=130), the majority of whom are Mexican/Mexican American (n=124). Measures used in this study include the Beck Hopelessness Scale (1974), the Conflict Behavior Questionnaire (Robin and Foster, 1989), measuring mother-adolescent conflict, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Demographic variables included age, level of education, socio-economic status, marital status (whether parent lives with a partner), number of people living in the home and time living in the U.S. In addition, acculturation was measured utilizing the Bicultural Involvement Questionnaire. Women in the sample were 39.4 years of age on average. Most women were living with a partner (83%), in households with a mean of 5 people in the home; 63% did not complete a high school education; and 75% reported having a job at the time of the survey. About 79% lived in households with incomes below the poverty line. The prevalence of mild hopelessness was 12.5%, and the prevalence of moderate hopelessness was 1.5%. The sample did not have any participants in the severe ranges of hopelessness. Multiple linear regression examined the contribution of each predictor variable to the level of hopelessness. Higher levels of hopelessness were reported by women who were not currently employed, those with lower education, and those living in larger households. Intra-familiar stress, as indicated by mother-adolescent conflict, and depression contributed most explaining higher levels of hopelessness. This study indicates that mild-to-moderate hopelessness is prevalent among 14% of Hispanic mothers included in the sample. We found a positive association between depression and hopelessness. This association was also reported in a large epidemiological study (Haatainen, et al. 2004). Finally, intra-family stress seems to have an undesirable impact on women's hopelessness.