Counseling Psychologist
Volume 45, Issue 2, 2017, Pages 213-236

Acculturative Stress, Psychological Distress, and Religious Coping among Latina Young Adult Immigrants (Article)

Silva N.D. , Dillon F.R.* , Verdejo T.R. , Sanchez M. , De La Rosa M.
  • a University at Albany, State University of New York, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States
  • b University at Albany, State University of New York, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States
  • c University at Albany, State University of New York, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States
  • d Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
  • e Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States

Abstract

Religion is a source of strength in Latina/o culture during challenging life transitions, such as the immigration process. Guided by a sociological stress-process model, this study examines relations between dimensions of religious coping, acculturative stress, and psychological distress among 530 young Latina women (ages 18-23 years) who recently immigrated to the United States (i.e., approximately 12 months prior to assessment). Higher levels of acculturative stress were associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Negative religious coping (i.e., the tendency to struggle with faith) moderated the relation between acculturative stress and psychological distress. Participants experiencing higher levels of acculturative stress reported greater psychological distress when they indicated more negative religious coping. Positive religious coping (i.e., the tendency to relate to faith with comfort and certainty) was not linked with acculturative stress or psychological distress. Implications for culturally tailored counseling interventions for this underserved and understudied population are discussed. © Division of Counseling Psychology of the American Psychological Association.

Author Keywords

Hispanic Latina Religious coping Acculturative stress Psychological distress

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85019034088&doi=10.1177%2f0011000017692111&partnerID=40&md5=2c28cc1b627a3f17d344670149e9a8ec
DOI: 10.1177/0011000017692111
ISSN: 00110000
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English