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This study investigated the relations among depression, acculturation, and socioeconomic status (SES) in a young-adult Latino sample. Data were obtained from 1,271 Latino first-year college students; 89% self-labeled as either Mexican American or Hispanic, and 11% as Mexican National. Symptoms of depression were compared for various acculturation levels, and bicultural groups with controls for SES and gender. The Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II (ARSMA-II) was used to assess acculturation characteristics. Clinical depression and symptoms of depression were measured using the DSD26 Symptom Scale for assessment of depressive symptoms and major depression. Variance in depression scores was found to be influenced more by gender and SES than by acculturation or ethnic identity status. Assimilated Mexican Americans reported significantly fewer symptoms of depression than their more traditional counterparts. Ethnicity and acculturation per se were not found to lessen or increase risk for depression but SES associated with ethnicity was found to directly affect depression scores., Studies using measures of depression as indicators of well-being and adjustment or as indicators of the impact of sociocultural and other environmental processes on mental health are popular (National Institute [...]

A study conducted on a sample of 2,600 Mexican American and Anglo-American school students to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Roberts revision of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (RULS-8) shows that the RULS-8 is valid and reliable for measuring adolescent loneliness. The non-response rates for Mexican Americans are higher than for Anglo-Americans because of the problems of comprehension. The RULS-8 also showed a uniform cross-cultural internal consistency. Both the ethnic groups have similar patterns in their mean scores of depression, which is directly connected with loneliness.

Data from 304 family service center clients were analyzed to assess how the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) operated when used with different ethnic populations. Results indicated the CSQ-8 operated about the same, whether administered to Anglos or to persons of Hispanic origin, or in English or Spanish. (NQA)

Differences between Anglos and Mexican Americans were examined for three measures of social support--organizational membership, contact with friends and relatives, and sources of socioemotional and instrumental aid. Most initial ethnic differences disappeared when the effects of age, gender, education, income, and marital status were controlled. (JHZ)

Mexican American women reported more depressive symptoms than men (after controlling for effects of age, education, income) in two surveys conducted in Alameda County, California (1975, 1978). Among the married, the employed reported fewer symptoms than the nonemployed; there was no difference in depression scores of employed men and women. (Author/LC)

Differences between Anglos and Mexican Americans are examined for three measures of social support. Most initial ethnic differences disappeared when the effects of age, gender, education, income, and marital status were controlled. There were some differences in the pattern and magnitude of associations between measures of social support and demographic variables when analyses were stratified by ethnicity. Methodologic and substantive implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Data from a study of family service center clients are analyzed to assess how a measure of client satisfaction operates when used with different ethnic populations. The eight-item version of the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) is a measure of general satisfaction with services that was developed to provide a brief, standard assessment procedure suitable for use in a wide variety of service settings. Based on the results of this survey, the CSQ-8 seems to operate about the same, whether administered to Anglos or to persons of Hispanic origin, or in English or Spanish. There were essentially no differences among the various ethnic and language groups across statistical criteria such as internal consistency reliability, central tendency, dispersion, item intercorrelation, or missing values. These results suggest that the CSQ-8 is a measure of general satisfaction with services suitable for use with a variety of client populations, including Hispanics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Data from a large-scale survey of community health center clients were analyzed to assess how a measure of client satisfaction operates when used with different ethnic populations. The eight-item version of the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) is a measure of general satisfaction with services which was developed to provide a brief, standard assessment procedure suitable for use in a wide variety of service settings. Based on the results of this survey, the CSQ-8 seems to operate about the same, whether administered to Anglos, blacks, persons of Mexican descent, or persons of other Hispanic origin. Whether the criterion was internal consistency reliability, central tendency, dispersion, item intercorrelation, or missing values, there were essentially no differences among the four ethnic groups, suggesting that the CSQ-8 is a measure of general satisfaction with services suitable for use with a variety of client populations, including Hispanics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sex differences in depressive symptomatology among Mexican Americans are examined using data from two sample surveys conducted in Alameda County, California, in 1975 and 1978. In both studies, women reported more depressive symptoms than men, even after controlling for the effects of age, education, and income. Among the married, the employed reported fewer depressive symptoms than the nonemployed, and controlling for the effects of employment on depression eliminated the sex differentials observed initially. Also, in both studies, there was no difference in the depression scores of employed men and women. This finding for Mexican Americans is at variance with most findings from other populations, in which employed men generally report less depression than their female counterparts. Another finding was that housewives in both studies reported more symptoms of depression than did working men, which is consistent with previous research results. In regard to the contrast between employed and nonemployed women, in one sample the housewives were more depressed while in the other there was no difference between these two groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]