Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 20, Issue 2, 2018, Pages 441-447

Parent Perceptions of Child Weight Status in Mexican-Origin Immigrant Families: An Investigation of Acculturation, Stress, and Coping Factors (Article)

McLeod D.L.* , Bates C.R. , Heard A.M. , Bohnert A.M. , Santiago C.D.
  • a Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Road, Coffey Hall 208, Chicago, IL 60660, United States
  • b Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Road, Coffey Hall 208, Chicago, IL 60660, United States
  • c Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Road, Coffey Hall 208, Chicago, IL 60660, United States
  • d Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Road, Coffey Hall 208, Chicago, IL 60660, United States
  • e Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Road, Coffey Hall 208, Chicago, IL 60660, United States

Abstract

Parents often underestimate their child’s weight status, particularly when the child is overweight or obese. This study examined acculturation, stress, coping, and involuntary responses to stress and their relation to estimation of child’s weight status among Mexican-origin immigrant families. Eighty-six families provided data on child’s height and weight, caregiver’s perception of their child’s weight status, and caregiver’s responses to acculturation, stress, and coping scales. Parents underestimated their child’s weight status, particularly when the child was overweight or obese. Although acculturation and stress were not associated with accuracy, parents’ responses to stress were linked to parent perceptions. Parents who reported more frequent use of involuntary engagement (e.g., rumination, physiological arousal) were more accurate. Future research, as well as healthcare providers, should consider how parents manage and respond to stress in order to fully understand the factors that explain weight perceptions among Mexican-origin immigrant parents. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Obesity Stress Coping Mexican–American Acculturation

Index Keywords

Parents perception human Stress, Psychological mental stress coping behavior Adaptation, Psychological ethnology Humans migrant psychology male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation female cultural factor Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice body weight body mass Mexican Americans Body Mass Index attitude to health child parent relation Mexican American Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85015801517&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-017-0569-5&partnerID=40&md5=5876aff8cbdbe36fd0c76a603276779f
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-017-0569-5
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English