Anxiety and Self-Esteem: Perspectives from Female Mexican American Adolescents and Mental Health Therapists

Background and Purpose

Mexican American adolescents are a rapidly growing group in the United States and approximately 30% of all adolescents under age 18 identify as Mexican American. Yet, female Mexican adolescents are notably absent in published mental health literature despite their vulnerability to anxiety-related issues. And because of the intimate link between anxiety and self-esteem in existing scholarship, research examining female Mexican adolescents’ views regarding the association between anxiety and self-esteem is needed. Thus, we sought to answer the following: What is the interplay between self-reported symptoms of anxiety and self-esteem from the perspectives of female Mexican American adolescents and mental health therapists (MHTs) living in Arizona?

Methods

An exploratory qualitative study conducted from June 2020 through May 2021 involved semi-structured interviews with 16 female Mexican American adolescents and focus groups with 17 MHTs. Participants were recruited using direct outreach, social media, and targeting organizations with direct contact to potential participants. An advisory board was created to assist the research team in reviewing the semi-structured interview and focus group guides for clarity and terminology, and participating in the pilot interview and focus group. Zoom (https://zoom.us) was used to conduct and record the semi-structured interviews and focus groups, which were transcribed verbatim using Trint (https://trint.com). Atlas.ti was used to inductively analyze data thematically following the process recommended by Charmaz (2006) for constructivist grounded theory.

Findings

Data revealed six main themes: ‘Anxiety and self-esteem relationship,’ ‘External factors,’ ‘Strategies to address the interplay,’ ‘Being perceived by others,' ‘Pressures and stress,’ and ‘Navigating multiple cultures.’ Most participants identified ways that the pandemic has (negatively) impacted their mental health, although, adolescents varied in discussing its influence on their development. A discrepancy emerged in perspectives on cultural influence between adolescent and MHT participants. Adolescent participants did not discuss culture as an influence on the interplay; however, this may be a difference in perception or awareness of where social pressures are coming from. Regardless, culture and social pressures are important factors that warrant further exploration and further research to understand the relationship between anxiety and self-esteem for adolescent females.

Conclusions and Implications

While MHTs emphasized the challenges of navigating two cultures, adolescents focused more on peer perceptions and daily pressures. This disconnect underscores the importance of considering cultural factors in mental health treatment for female Mexican American adolescents. Social workers can promote biculturalism to address these disparities and tailor interventions accordingly.