Maternal Depression, Parenting Stress, and Parenting Practices in a Sample of Later-Generation Latina Mothers with a History of Adverse Childhood Experiences

Background and Purpose

Research shows that Latinx populations may be at increased risk for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, racial/ethnic discrimination, bullying, economic hardship, and community violence. These experiences have enduring consequences that extend into adulthood and include increased vulnerability for maternal depression and parenting stress. Depression and parenting stress, in turn, are associated with compromised child outcomes (e.g., self-regulation, executive function, social behaviours, and internalizing and externalizing behaviours). Parenting practices, especially maternal warmth, appear to mediate the association between depression, parenting stress and child outcomes. To date, however, this model has been investigated with predominantly White and Black samples. The present study considers these associations in a community sample of later-generation Latina mothers in Texas. The study of U.S.-born, English-speaking Latina mothers is important because their experiences of immigration, acculturation and discrimination are unique relative to immigrant Latina mothers, a population that has received relatively more attention in the parenting literature.

Methods

The sample is comprised of 227 later-generation Latina mothers in Corpus Christi, Texas. Mothers of pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten children were recruited from local public schools to participate in a longitudinal study of early childhood development. The vast majority (91.5%) identified as later-generation Latina, though 8.5% identified as foreign-born. Almost half (48%) reported living below the federal poverty line. Mothers completed a survey (online or by phone) that included 17 questions about adverse childhood experiences, the CESD-10 (Andresen et al., 1994) to measure depression, the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form (Abidin, 1995), and the Parenting Practices Scale (Strayhorn & Weidman, 1988). In the present study, data from questionnaires administered in fall 2019 and summer 2020 was used.

Results

Descriptive statistics showed that 28.6% of mothers had 4 or more ACEs, and that 24.7% were above the clinical cut-off for depression. The mean score for parenting stress was 9 (which corresponds to low parenting stress). Linear regression analyses showed that ACEs predicted depression (b=0.4; p=0.0). Depression, in turn predicted parenting stress (b=0.39;p=0.0) and lower scores on warm parenting practices (b=-0.36; p=0.014). Parenting stress also predicted lower warmth (b=-0.5; p= 0.01).

Conclusion and Implications

The present study results with a sample of later-generation Latina mothers support previous research showing that minoritized communities face high risk for ACEs and their deleterious outcomes including maternal depression and parenting stress. Depression and parenting stress, in turn, predicted lower levels of warmth in parenting practices. These findings are significant because these constructs are believed to impact child development, and may set the stage for the intergenerational transmission of adversity and negative parenting. The discussion will explore ways to interrupt this intergenerational transmission by leveraging protective factors in the Latinx community. This knowledge will inform appropriate adaptations of social work practice and policy to mitigate the burdens disproportionately experienced by later-generation Latinx communities.