Childhood family relationships, marital and work conflict, and mental health distress in Mexican immigrants

Abstract

The present study examined the associations among childhood family relationships, adult conflict in marriage and work relationships, and mental health distress in Mexican immigrants. The sample consisted of 135 married Mexican immigrants recruited from an ESL program in Southern California. Structural equation modeling was used to test theoretical hypotheses. The model revealed that dysfunctional childhood family relationships predicted dissatisfaction and conflict in marital and work relationships. Conflict in marital relationships directly contributed to mental health distress, whereas conflict in work relationships had an indirect effect on mental health by impacting negatively on immigrants' marital relationships. The model also indicated that immigrants' socioeconomic status in Mexico was linked to work relationships conflict in the United States, which, in turn, had a detrimental effect on marital relationships and mental health distress. Furthermore, a significant pathway was found linking recency of migration and immigrants' resident status (legal vs. illegal) to conflict in marital relationships and mental health distress. Finally, social status risk factors significantly predicted mental health distress. Mexican immigrants who were older, of lower status, and female experienced a high level of psychological distress. The findings were discussed in terms of attachment and migration stress theory, and Latino cultural patterns. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.