A Systematic Review of Risk Factors for Parent Stress Among Latine Parents

Background and Purpose: In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory indicating that parental stress is a public health crisis, reporting financial strain, time demands, children’s health and safety, parental isolation and loneliness, cultural pressures and children’s future, and technology and social media as significant stressors to parent stress. Notably, the Surgeon General’s advisory centered on parental stress and its contributing factors at a national level and did not specifically attend to the experiences of Latine families. Nonetheless, Latine parents experience several parenting stressors, some of which may be uniquely related to culture or immigration. Given the increasing attention on parenting stress and the need for research synthesizing the experiences of Latine parents, this systematic review aimed to better understand the risk factors contributing to parenting stress among Latine parents of children ages 0-12 years old. The review was guided by Minority Stress Theory, Acculturative Stress Theory, the Relational Model of Trauma, and the Socioecological Model, and the following research question: What are the key risk factors contributing to parenting stress among Latine parents?

Methods: A systematic search was conducted for U.S.-based empirical studies (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods) published since 2000 that examined risk factors for parental stress among Latine parents of children aged 0–12. Search terms included variations of parental stress and Latine identity (e.g., parent stress, maternal stress, Latino/a/x, Hispanic). Studies were eligible if available in English or Spanish and if Latine parents were either the focal or sub-focal group with separate results. Screening was conducted in Covidence, with team discussions for unclear cases. Data abstraction captured study and sample characteristics, methodology, and key findings related to parenting stress risk factors. Six bibliographic databases were searched, with 10 studies meeting all inclusion criteria for this review.

Results: Key risk factors contributing to parental stress among Latine parents included financial strain, immigration and policy context, acculturative and cultural stressors, the cumulative effects of trauma, child health-related stressors, and environment and community. Studies focused on immigrant Latine parents highlighted parent stress being impacted by fear of deportation, family separation, and anti-immigrant policies, with these factors overriding financial strain as a primary source of stress. Intergenerational acculturation gaps between parents and children may amplify parenting challenges. For Latina mothers especially, past and ongoing trauma (intimate partner violence, childhood abuse) were significant contributors. Parenting stress was heightened when Latine parents had children with specific health or behavioral conditions and no culturally responsive interventions, contributing to a sense of isolation and loneliness.

Conclusions and Implications: Latine parents experience many of the stressors identified in the Surgeon General’s advisory; however, these challenges are exacerbated by additional stressors uniquely tied to their cultural and social identities. Clinical work with Latine parents should emphasize culturally responsive and trauma-informed care that addresses unique stressors such as acculturation and immigration. Research should further explore the identified stressors, determine protective factors, evaluate culturally tailored interventions, and examine the impact of policies. Longitudinal studies and intersectional approaches can further enhance understanding and guide effective support for Latine families.