ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated COVID-19 stressors and silver linings, familism values, familial resilience, and coping, and their relation to internalizing symptoms among Latinx youth. METHOD: A community sample of 135 Latinx adolescents completed online surveys 6-months apart (M age = 16, 59.3% female; majority U.S-born). RESULTS: COVID-19 stress was associated with more depressive (ß = .18, p = .027) and anxiety (ß = .21, p = .010) symptoms. However, COVID-19 stress was related to higher levels of depressive anxiety symptoms only for youth who engaged in low (ß = .38, p < .001; ß = .38, p = .001) and medium (ß = .19, p = .004; ß = .22, p = .011) levels of problem-focused engagement coping. Higher levels of family resilience were associated with lower cross-sectional depressive symptoms (ß = -.28, p = .004). For longitudinal models, a significant relation between COVID-19 stress and problem-focused engagement predicted Time 2 depressive symptoms (ß = -.20, p < .041). CONCLUSION: Latinx youth who experienced high levels of COVID-19 stress who enacted problem-focused coping fared better across the pandemic. Familial resilience did not carry the same longitudinal benefit but did bolster mental health concurrently. Clinicians should endeavor to buttress familial resilience processes in addition to problem-engaged coping for Latinx youth in treatment.
ABSTRACT
Trajectory studies of the COVID-19 pandemic have described patterns of symptoms over time. Yet, few have examined whether social determinants of health predict the progression of depression and anxiety symptoms during COVID-19 or identified which social determinants worsen symptom trajectories. Using a racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse sample of adults participating in a randomized clinical trial with pre-existing moderate to severe depression and/or anxiety symptoms, we compare symptom patterns before and during COVID-19; characterize symptom trajectories over a 20-week follow-up period; and evaluate whether social determinants are associated with within- and between- person differences in symptom trajectories. Data were collected before and during COVID-19 in Massachusetts and North Carolina. On average, depression and anxiety symptoms did not seem to worsen during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic. During COVID-19, anxiety scores at follow-up were higher for participants with baseline food insecurity (vs no food insecurity). Depression scores at follow-up were higher for participants with food insecurity and for those with utilities insecurity (vs no insecurity). Participants with child or family care responsibilities at baseline had depression symptoms decreasing at a slower rate than those without these responsibilities. We discuss the important implications of these findings.