The Protective Roles of Ethnic Identity, Social Support, and Coping on Depression in Low-Income Parents: A Test of the Adaptation to Poverty-Related Stress Model

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology 2020-06, Vol.88 (6), p.504-515
• Main Authors: McDonald, Ashley, Thompson, Amanda J, Perzow, Sarah E. D, Joos, Celina, Wadsworth, Martha E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation; Coping; Coping Behavior; Cultural identity; Emotional intelligence; Ethnic Identity; Ethnicity; Female; Gender; Human; Low income groups; Lower Income Level; Major Depression; Male; Mental depression; Moderation; Parents; Parents & parenting; Path analysis; Perceived social support; Poverty; Protective Factors; Psychological Engagement; Race; Social identity; Social Support; Stress
• ISSN: 0022-006X; 1939-2117
• DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000477

Objective: This study tested the Adaptation to Poverty-Related Stress (APRS) model's proposed relationships between poverty-related stress (PRS), ethnic identity affirmation (EI), social support, engagement coping, and depression in a racial/ethnically diverse sample of low-income parents. Method: Path analysis was used to test the APRS model in a sample of 602 parents living at or below 200% of the federal poverty line (50% male, mean age = 32.55 years, SD = 8.78, 34.8% White). Multigroup path analysis tested moderation by gender and race/ethnicity. Results: Path analysis revealed that PRS was indirectly associated with higher depressive symptoms through less social support and less use of engagement coping operating in parallel and sequentially in a three-path mediated sequence. Conversely, EI was indirectly associated with lower depressive symptoms through greater social support and greater use of engagement coping operating in parallel and sequentially. However, PRS remained a direct predictor of higher depressive symptoms. Moderation by gender and race/ethnicity was not found. Conclusion: Overall, the findings provide empirical support for the APRS model. This study suggests that clinical and preventive interventions targeting depression in low-income parents could benefit from focusing on improving low-income parent's use of engagement coping and perceived social support. Ethnic identity is a promising target as it to protects against PRS' negative impact on coping and social support. What is the public health significance of this article? This study highlights the importance of increasing low-income parents' use of coping strategies such as problem-solving and distraction and expanding their social network when targeting depression. A strong ethnic identity is an important resource and more research is needed regarding how best to incorporate it into these interventions.