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01-08-2016 | Original Article

Effects of acculturation on prenatal anxiety among Latina women

Authors: Veronica Barcelona de Mendoza, Emily Harville, Katherine Theall, Pierre Buekens, Lisa Chasan-Taber

Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health | Issue 4/2016

Abstract

Anxiety in pregnancy has been associated with adverse birth outcomes. Relatively few studies have investigated how acculturation affects mental health in pregnancy among Latinas. The goal of this study was to determine if acculturation was associated with anxiety over the course of pregnancy in a sample of predominantly Puerto Rican women. Women were recruited in pregnancy for participation in Proyecto Buena Salud, a prospective cohort study of Latina women (n = 1412). Acculturation was measured via the Psychological Acculturation Scale (PAS), language preference and generation in the USA. Anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Instrument. Linear and logistic multivariable regressions were used to investigate associations. After adjustment, women with bicultural identification had significantly lower trait anxiety scores in early pregnancy (β = −3.62, SE = 1.1, p < 0.001) than low acculturated women. Women with higher levels of acculturation as indicated by English-language preference (β = 1.41, SE = 0.7, p = 0.04) and second or third generation in the USA had significantly higher trait anxiety scores in early pregnancy (β = 1.83, SE = 0.6, p < 0.01). Bicultural psychological acculturation was associated with lower trait anxiety in early pregnancy, while English-language preference and higher generation in the USA were associated with higher trait anxiety in early pregnancy.

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Title: Effects of acculturation on prenatal anxiety among Latina women
Authors: Veronica Barcelona de Mendoza
Emily Harville
Katherine Theall
Pierre Buekens
Lisa Chasan-Taber
Publication date: 01-08-2016
Publisher: Springer Vienna
Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health / Issue 4/2016
Print ISSN: 1434-1816
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1102
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-016-0605-9

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Effects of acculturation on prenatal anxiety among Latina women

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