Carolina Hausmann-Stabile

Familism, Family Environment, and Suicide Attempts among Latina Youth

In this study, we examined the relationship between familism and family environment type as well as the relationship between family environment type and suicide attempts among Latina youth. Latina teen attempters (n = 109) and nonattempters (n = 107) were recruited from the New York City area. Latent class analysis revealed three family environment types: tight-knit, intermediate-knit, and loose-knit. Tight-knit families (high cohesion and low conflict) were significantly less likely to have teens who attempted suicide as compared with intermediate-knit families or loose-knit families. Moreover, familism increased the odds of being in a tight-knit family versus a loose-knit family and the odds of being in a tight-knit family versus a intermediate-knit. The results suggest that familism may protect against suicide behavior among Latinas via its influence on family environment.

Recruiting Urban Latina Adolescents and Their Families: Challenges and Lessons Learned in Suicide Attempts Research

Recruiting research samples within vulnerable populations can be challenging, especially due to geographic dispersal and the services accessed, as well as hesitation related to legal status and stigma. Public health, however, requires sustained recruitment efforts. We describe challenges and solutions in recruiting urban adolescent Latinas who had attempted suicide. Procedures for recruitment and human subject protections were established, yet logistic obstacles emerged. Program directors failed to support the research; therapists were slow to identify subjects and to meet inclusionary criteria; numbers of prospective participants were lower than originally calculated; girls and parents were hard to reach; and interview appointments were missed. From challenges came solutions: to use fewer agencies, do better participant surveillance, monitor staff participation, and build rapport and relationships with staff. In-service research training to develop agency research infrastructure generated support among providers and administrators. Our experience may be helpful to other researchers conducting studies with similar populations.

Can Better Mother-Daughter Relations Reduce the Chance of a Suicide Attempt among Latinas?

National surveys and other research on adolescent Latinas show that adolescent females have higher rates of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts than other ethnic and racial minority youth. Internalizing behaviors and family conflicts are commonly associated with suicidality in research on adolescents. In the case of Latinas, we explore the connection between adolescent Hispanic cultural involvement, mother-adolescent mutuality, internalizing behaviors, and suicidality. This paper presents data from a study of 232 Latinas, some with a recent history of suicide attempts (n = 122). The results show that higher adolescent Hispanic cultural involvement was associated with greater mother-daughter mutuality and thus led to reduction in the likelihood of suicide attempts. The relationship between mother-daughter mutuality and suicide attempts among Latinas is mediated by specific internalizing behaviors (withdrawn depressive). Our findings highlight the positive effect that Latino cultural values have in the relationship between Latina adolescent and their mothers and confirm the importance that internalizing behaviors and the mother-daughter relationship have for suicide attempters.

An exploratory study of nonsuicidal self-injury and suicidal behaviors in adolescent Latinas.

To date, there is little research to validate empirically differences between nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior (NSSI) and attempted suicide among Latina adolescents. Understanding the characteristics and contextual features of self-harmful behaviors among Latina teens is a critical public health and social justice matter given the disproportionate rates of attempted suicide and anticipated population growth of this vulnerable group. In this article, we draw on an ecodevelopmental model to focus attention on factors in the sociocultural environment that shape suicidal behaviors and NSSIs. Through analysis of qualitative interviews conducted with girls who used NSSI (n = 18), attempted suicide (n = 29), used NSSI and attempted suicide (n = 8,) and had no reported lifetime history of self-harm (n = 28), we describe the sociocultural factors that shaped psychosocial vulnerabilities and gave rise to decisions to use NSSI or attempt suicide. Our analysis revealed that adolescents who engaged in NSSI perceived their negative feelings as something that could be controlled through self-injurious acts, whereas powerlessness was a theme underlying the emotional states of girls who attempted suicide. When NSSI ceased to function as a mechanism for control, girls came to sudden decisions to attempt suicide. Most teens identified specific, and often multiple, situations that induced intense affective states and shaped decisions to inflict self-harm. Two situational experiences emerged as particularly salient and promising for subsequent studies on self-harmful behaviors among Latina adolescents: transnational stress and bullying. We describe each of these and offer suggestions for future research and practice.

Family Relationships and Latina Teen Suicide Attempts: Reciprocity, Asymmetry, and Detachment

Using qualitative data collected from adolescent Latinas and their parents, this article describes ways in which family relationships are organized within low-income Latino families (n = 24) with and without a daughter who attempted suicide. Based on a family-level analysis approach, we present a framework that categorizes relationships as reciprocal, asymmetrical, or detached. Clear differences are identified: Families of nonattempters primarily cluster in reciprocal families, whereas families with an adolescent suicide attempter exhibit characteristics of asymmetrical or detached families. Our results highlight the need for detailed clinical attention to family communication patterns, especially in Latino families. Clinicians may reduce the likelihood of an attempt or repeated attempts by raising mutual, reciprocal exchanges of words and support between parents and daughter.

Syndemic factors associated with adult sexual HIV risk behaviors in a sample of Latino men who have sex with men in New York City

OBJECTIVE Syndemic theory has been proposed as a framework for understanding the role of multiple risk factors driving the HIV epidemic among sexual and gender minority individuals. As yet, the framework has been relatively absent in research on Latinos/as. METHODS We used logistic regression to assess relationships among cumulative syndemic conditions - including clinically significant depression, high-risk alcohol consumption, discrimination, and childhood sexual abuse - engagement with multiple partners and condomless anal intercourse (CAI) in a sample of 176 Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City. RESULTS In bivariate analyses, an increase in the number of syndemic factors experienced was associated with an increased likelihood of reporting multiple partners and CAI. In multivariable analyses, participants with 2, 3, and 4 factors were significantly more likely to report multiple partners than those with 0 (aOR=4.66, 95% CI [1.29, 16.85); aOR=7.28, 95% CI [1.94, 27.28] and aOR=8.25, 95% CI [1.74, 39.24] respectively; p<0.05. Regarding CAI, only participants with 3 and 4 factors differed from those with 0 aOR=7.35, 95% CI [1.64, 32.83] and OR=8.06, 95% CI [1.39, 46.73] respectively. CONCLUSIONS Comprehensive approaches that address syndemic factors, and capitalize on resiliency, are needed to address the sexual health needs of Latino MSM.

Aspirations of Latina Adolescent Suicide Attempters

Parents’ aspirations and expectations are communicated to their offspring. Children internalize their parents’ aspirations and accept some of the expectations while rejecting others, all part of the developmental process and identity-consolidation. When the aspirations and expectations of youth and parents are incongruent, the outcomes in youths’ behavior can be deleterious, such as when adolescents manifest suicidal behaviors. We examined aspirations expressed by 12 Latina adolescent suicide attempters and their parents and compared them to 12 nonsuicidal Latinas and parents. Qualitative analyses revealed that incongruence of aspirations between girls and their parents were greater among suicidal teens. Suicidal and nonsuicidal Latinas presented contrasting aspirations: the former on gaining independence and the latter on completing their education and pursuing careers. Findings may inform developmental research and ways in which clinicians and policymakers can help Latinas achieve their own and their parents’ aspirations.

Child Sexual Abuse and Adult Mental Health, Sexual Risk Behaviors, and Drinking Patterns Among Latino Men Who Have Sex With Men

ABSTRACT One in five Latino men who have sex with men has experienced child sexual abuse. Although concerning in itself, child sexual abuse may increase an individuals’ likelihood of depression and risk-taking in adult life, including engagement in HIV risk behaviors and alcohol and substance use. It is therefore urgent that researchers and practitioners better understand the long-term effects of child sexual abuse. We utilized logistic and linear regression to assess associations between child sexual abuse (operationalized as forced or coerced sexual activity before age 17) and depression, sexual behaviors, and drinking patterns in a sample of 176 adult Latino men who have sex with men from New York City. Over one-fifth (22%) of participants reported child sexual abuse. In multivariable models, participants with histories of child sexual abuse were significantly more likely than participants without such histories to screen for clinically significant depressive symptoms and heavy drinking and reported more anal sex acts, male sexual partners, and incidents of condomless anal intercourse in the previous three months. These findings confirm a high prevalence of child sexual abuse among Latino men who have sex with men and associations between child sexual abuse and adulthood depressive symptoms, high-risk alcohol consumption, and sexual risk behaviors. We recommend that providers who serve Latino men who have sex with men incorporate child sexual abuse screenings into mental health, HIV prevention, and substance use treatment programs, utilizing approaches that are inclusive of resilience.

Dominican Parenting and Early Childhood Functioning: A Comparison Study of Immigrant Families in the USA and Families in Their Country of Origin

Little is known about immigrant parenting and its effects on children’s development. We examined data from 672 Dominican families from New York City and the Dominican Republic to examine (1) whether authoritarian parenting is normative in Dominican culture and (2) whether authoritarian parenting is adaptive by examining its relation to child functioning across levels of risk defined by poverty status and country of residence. Overall, mothers reported higher levels of authoritative, versus authoritarian, parenting. There were, however, differences in levels of authoritarian parenting by country and poverty status. Authoritarian parenting was associated with child behavior problems regardless of context.

Long-term health outcomes of childhood sexual abuse and peer sexual contact among an urban sample of behaviourally bisexual Latino men

Abstract While previous research indicates high rates of childhood sexual abuse among Latino men who have sex with men, few studies have examined the long-term health outcomes of childhood sexual abuse specifically among behaviourally bisexual Latino men. In a sample of 148 behaviourally bisexual Latino men in New York City, we examined associations between childhood sexual abuse and multiple dimensions of adult health: sexual risk behaviours; sexually transmitted infections incidence; polydrug use; depressive symptoms; and perceived stress. We compared outcomes between those with histories of childhood sexual abuse, those reporting peer sexual contact prior to age 13 and those with no sexual contact prior to age 13. Over one-fifth (22.3%) reported a history of childhood sexual abuse, which was significantly associated with engaging in receptive condomless anal intercourse (aOR = 3.59, p < .01, SE = 2.0), high perceived stress (aOR = 2.48, p < .06, SE = 1.13) and clinically significant depressive symptoms (aOR = 2.7, p < .05, SE = 1.25). Across all variables, peer sexual contact did not impact these outcomes, underscoring a key distinction between abusive and non-abusive early sexual experiences. We recommend that sexual abuse prevention policies and programmes better engage Latino youth, and that practitioners serving this population across diverse areas of practice incorporate childhood sexual abuse screening and culturally appropriate treatment and care into practice.