How stress and family strengths shape Latino/a youth mental health from childhood to young adulthood
Stressors, adaptive factors, and developmental timing: Influences on Latino/a mental health from early childhood through young adulthood.
This project pools long-term data on Latino/a children and young adults to track how life stress, family experiences, and protective strengths relate to depression and anxiety as they grow.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | George Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11319892 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will combine data from five long-term studies of Latino/a mother–child pairs to create one pooled dataset following youth from about age 2 to 22. They will link measures of broad stress (like economic hardship) and closer family stressors (like parental depression and harsh parenting) with youth symptoms of depression and anxiety. The team will examine when and for how long youth face these stressors and whether family socialization or youth self-regulation reduce harm. Advanced statistical methods for merging and analyzing multiple cohorts will be used so results apply across diverse Latino/a communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Latino/a children, adolescents, and young adults (and their mothers) roughly ages 2–22, especially those exposed to economic or family stress, are the focus of this work.
Not a fit: People who are not Latino/a or whose mental health problems stem primarily from causes unrelated to social or family stress may not directly benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could point to key ages and family-focused strengths to guide prevention programs and supports that reduce depression and anxiety for Latino/a youth.
How similar studies have performed: Previous long-term studies have linked family and economic stress to youth internalizing symptoms, but combining multiple Latino/a cohorts is a newer step to get clearer, more generalizable answers.
Where this research is happening
Washington, United States
- George Washington University — Washington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roche, Kathleen M — George Washington University
- Study coordinator: Roche, Kathleen M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.