Perspectives of Catholic Latina mothers on female adolescent depression: A qualitative approach

Latina youth report high rates of depression attributed to low socioeconomic status, conflicting cultural and gender roles, and reduced participation in conventional forms of treatment. Yoga has been found to be an effective form of physical activity (PA) to ameliorate depressive symptoms. However, yoga’s religious roots in Hinduism may conflict with certain faith-places, like Catholic churches. Faith-placed PA programs have been effective within racial and ethnic populations, such as Latinos. There is limited research on yoga and Latino youth and little is known regarding the acceptability of yoga among Catholic constituents, thus there is a need to assess the acceptability of yoga within the Latino community prior to designing an intervention. This study aims to investigate the thoughts and perceptions of Catholic Latina Mothers on the acceptability and feasibility of a faith-placed yoga intervention for adolescent Latinas through a Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) lens. The present study was a semi-structured interview qualitative study with self-identified Catholic Latina mothers with daughters between the ages of 8-18 years old. A moderator guide was used to ask questions related to yoga and depression using SCT domains, such as environmental, behavioral, and cognitive levels. Measures included the determinants of meditation practice inventory (DMPI), and self-reported height, weight, and PA level. Three bicultural and bilingual researchers opened and axially coded interviews and conducted an inductive and deductive approach to find emerging themes. Eight women (Mean Age= 42.25 ± 10.03, Mean self-reported BMI= 29.5 ±5.23) participated in the interviews, 50% of sample attended church >1x/ month, 87.5% were born in Mexico and self-reported as physically active. Majority reported minimal barriers to meditation (Mean DMPI= 35.5 ± 15.46). Three themes emerged with corresponding subthemes ;1) Yoga as a potential form of PA for relaxation, 2) Latino family perceptions of health (Health Behaviors, Depression, and Perceived barriers to health and mental health), and 3) Sources of support (Family, Community, and the Catholic Church). Catholic Latina mothers perceived a faith-placed yoga program as beneficial and as an appropriate form of PA for adolescent Latinas with depression. Family relationships were perceived to be the root of depression and suggested improved communication between families. Furthermore, mothers viewed daily work routines as barriers to the health of their children. Thus, mothers suggested the need of social group activities within the community to help depressive symptoms. A future yoga intervention aimed to reduce depressive symptoms in Latino adolescents should include meditative and mindfulness components, faith-places with support of priests, and consider including an education component aimed to improve communication within families.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Kinesiology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2020

Author dc:creator

• Soto, Yuliana

Contributors dc:contributor

• Aguinaga, Susan

• Latino/Hispanic
• Physical activity
• Yoga
• Faith-placed
• Catholic
• Adolescent Depression

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2020 Yuliana Soto

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/107995

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/107995