Search

Objective: To compare stressful events, including violent episodes, experienced by pregnant Salvadoran women with those experienced by two other groups of low-income, pregnant women living in the United States (non-Salvadoran Hispanics and non-Hispanics) and to examine the association between episodes of violence and drug or alcohol use among the three groups., Design: Comparative, descriptive study., Setting: Public health prenatal clinics., Participants: One hundred four Salvadoran, 69 non-Salvadoran Hispanic, and 187 non-Hispanic pregnant women., Main Outcome Measures: Difficult Life Circumstances (DLC) scale and psychosocial history assessment., Results: Statistically significant differences were found among the three groups in total DLC scores, F(2, 357) = 14.98, p < .001; reported episodes of violence, F(2, 357 = 17.82, p < .001; and drug or alcohol use, F(2, 357) = 6.33, p < .001. A significant difference was found to the extent that alcohol or drug use accounted for the variance in violence among the three groups, F(3, 360) = 6.28, p < .001., Conclusions: Cross-cultural comparisons revealed group differences in the number of stressful events, including episodes of violence and alcohol or drug use.