“¿Es Difícil Ser Mujer? Depression, Gender Role Beliefs, and Acculturation: Testing the Use of a Culturally Grounded Intervention to Reduce Depressive Symptoms Among Spanish-Speaking Latinas

Abstract

Research identifies Latinas as a high-risk group for depression. Although many experience symptoms of depression, many are under-diagnosed and/or underutilize mental health services. To address the service gap, this study evaluated the effectiveness of a Promotora led, modified version of “¿Es Difícil Ser Mujer? Una Guía Sobre Depresión” (Is It Difficult Being A Woman? A Guide to Depression) (EDSM), a culturally-grounded depression curriculum aimed at reducing depressive symptoms among Spanish-speaking Latinas. The secondary goal of the study was to examine whether the EDSM intervention influenced Latina gender role beliefs.

A sample of twenty-five Spanish-speaking Latinas, primarily of Mexican/Mexican-American descent (92%) with a mean age of 40.64 (SD = 10.38) reported higher PHQ-9 total scores at pre-treatment than non-treatment completers. Key findings indicate that as a group, the intervention was related to a decrease in depression symptoms among participants. There was limited support at the individual level. Findings indicate that gender role beliefs were influenced, specifically, Virtuous and Chaste and Spiritual Pillars.