The impact of paternal involvement and United States stay length on Latino youth’s depressive symptoms

Latino youth in the United States are more at-risk for depression than youth of other ethnic backgrounds. This manuscript assesses the impacts of sex, age, United States stay length, and whether or not Latino children of immigrants’ fathers live with them on the youth’s depressive symptoms. For this purpose, data of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study was used. Using multiple regression analysis, the relationships among the aforementioned factors were examined among 1305 immigrant youth who were born in Latin America and Caribbean countries. The results of the study indicated that being male, living with one’s father and longer stay in the United States are significantly associated with less depression for Latino children of immigrants. The implications of the study can be applied to multiple settings including youth’s homes, social service agencies, and personnel who work with depressed populations. Raising awareness among immigrant parents, training mental health and social service providers, and developing culturally sensitive interventions were recommended. Although this study is a significant and timely topic, using data that are more recent could be more beneficial.