Abstract
This project is an analysis of the relationship between Latinx cultural values (traditional gender roles, familism support, religiosity) and self-reported depressive symptoms in Latina adolescent mothers from the California San Joaquin Valley. The study design is an exploratory quantitative secondary data analysis from the Valley Teens as Parents (VTAP) study completed at the University of California, Merced. The researchers analyzed self-administered participant responses to select variables from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Mexican American Cultural Values Scale (MACVS) to identify the relationship between Latinx cultural values and depressive symptoms in this population. A sub-sample of 85 Latina adolescents who were either pregnant or parenting at the time of participation were included in the analysis. Convenience sampling was the primary sampling method utilized for this project. A variety of chi-square tests were conducted to determine the relationship between select Latinx cultural values and levels of self-reported depressive symptoms in adolescent mothers. There were statistically significant relationships between the cultural values of interest and depressive symptoms. The analysis revealed a trend in which adolescents who held stronger Latinx cultural values also reported higher levels of depressive symptoms in comparison to their counterparts. However, when responses were divided between two age groups, the levels of self-reported depressive symptoms remained consistent. The younger participant age group held less agreement with Latinx cultural values versus the older age group. This project informs us that other socioemotional factors, besides cultural values, may be causing greater contribution to depressive symptoms and should be explored to better inform social work practice for this population. Implications for social work practice and policy are discussed.