Date of Award
10-16-2023
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Catherine DeCarlo Santiago
Abstract
This dissertation seeks to expand research regarding warmth and support among low-income, Latino immigrant families, specifically families of Mexican-origin, and how these parenting behaviors impact child internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors. The first study titled, “Effects of Familism, Parenting, and Family Cohesion on Child Internalizing Symptoms among Mexican Immigrant Families” explored how familism may promote warmth and support, in addition to family cohesion, and how these factors may impact child internalizing symptoms during middle childhood among Mexican immigrant families. The second study, titled “Stress and Child Internalizing Symptoms: Examining the Moderating Role of Latino Fathers' Warmth and Support using Mixed Methods” uses a moderation model to examine how warmth and support provided by fathers may buffer the impact of accumulative stress on internalizing symptoms during middle childhood. The third paper titled “Parenting and Externalizing Behaviors: The Role of Warmth and Support among Latino Immigrant Families” examines both mothers and fathers and the potential differential impact of their parenting behaviors. The combination of these three studies improves understanding of the impact of warmth and support on child internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors in low-income, Mexican origin immigrant families. These studies contribute to our understanding of Latino immigrant families, and how warmth and support can promote child adjustment, building on strengths including the cultural value of familism, and buffering the impact of accumulative stress. These studies also enhance our understanding of the complexity of the family system, and the unique contributions of both mothers and fathers, which informs family-based interventions. Examining multiple pathways that mothers’ and fathers’ behaviors may impact child internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors may further inform clinical interventions and treatment approaches.
Recommended Citation
Bustos, Yvita, "Warmth and Support: The Importance of Parenting Behaviors on Child Symptoms Among Mexican Immigrant Families" (2023). Dissertations. 4062.
https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/4062
