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Parent Cultural Stress and Internalizing Problems in Latinx Preschoolers: Moderation by Maternal Involvement and Positive Verbalizations

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Abstract

Parent cultural stress has a pervasive and significant impact on family functioning and increases risk for socioemotional problems among Latinx children. Identifying factors that can protect against the negative influence of cultural stressors and enhance the developmental trajectories of Latinx children early in life is key as these children experience disproportionate risk for psychosocial adversity and internalizing mental health problems. The present study evaluated the effect of maternal cultural stress on young children´s internalizing problems, and the moderating role of maternal parenting behaviors. Participants were 65 Latinx children (3 to 5 years old, 50% female) and their mothers (21 to 47 years old, 68% immigrants) recruited from three Head Start Centers in the Chicagoland Area. Mother-reported cultural stress predicted young children’s internalizing problems. In addition, maternal self-reported involvement and observed maternal positive verbalizations during one-on-one interactions with the child moderated the effect of cultural stress on child internalizing symptoms. Findings are discussed in the context of efforts to promote family and child resilience and implications for culturally sensitive measurement and intervention.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by DePaul University/Rosalind Franklin University Pilot Research Grants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Caleb J. Figge

  2. Department of Education, Universidad de Monterrey, Av. Ignacio Morones Prieto 4500 Pte Col, Jesús M. Garza (Asentamiento Irregular), 66238, San Pedro Garza García, N.L., Mexico

    Cecilia Martinez-Torteya

  3. College of Health Professions, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA

    David S. Kosson

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Figge, C.J., Martinez-Torteya, C. & Kosson, D.S. Parent Cultural Stress and Internalizing Problems in Latinx Preschoolers: Moderation by Maternal Involvement and Positive Verbalizations. J Immigrant Minority Health 23, 1035–1044 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-01118-y

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