Acculturative stress, depression, and suicidal ideation among immigrant and second-generation Latino adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: (1) To determine the relationship between acculturative stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation in a sample of immigrant and second-generation Latino-American adolescents, and (2) to determine the best predictors of acculturative stress and depressive symptoms.

METHOD: Subjects were 40 female and 30 male students from a bilingual program in a southern California high school. Measures used were the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics, the SAFE acculturative stress measure, the Family Assessment Device, the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-Junior, and an open-ended question measuring individual attitudes and expectations toward the future. A cross-sectional design was used.

RESULTS: One fourth of the adolescents reported critical levels of depression and suicidal ideation, which were positively correlated with acculturative stress. Multiple regression analyses revealed that perceived family dysfunction and nonpositive "expectations for the future" were significant predictors of acculturative stress and depression.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that some acculturating Latino adolescents experience high levels of acculturative stress. These adolescents are also "at risk" for experiencing critical levels of depression and suicidal ideation. Findings highlight the importance of assessing the treating the depressed and potentially suicidal acculturating adolescent within a cultural context.