Despite rapid growth and expansion of Hispanic immigrant families to the United States over the past several decades, there is a clear underrepresentation of literature dedicated to mental health treatment and prevention for this population. Even fewer studies have examined the predictors of parenting stress in Hispanic immigrant mothers. This present study aimed to identify the salient predictors of parenting stress in a sample of Hispanic immigrant mothers (N = 110) living in New York City. This research utilized archival data previously collected by the Ackerman Institute for the Family in partnership with the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services in September 2014 (n = 53) and in September 2015 (n = 57) for the participants who completed the initial enrollment assessments for their First Steps parenting education program. Measures that assessed participant risk factors, social support, and parenting stress included: the Family Risk Index (FRI; Grossman, 2011), the Patient Health Questionnaire – 9 (PHQ-9; Kroenke & Spitzer, 2002), the Family Support Scale (FSS; Dunst, Jenkins, & Trivette, 2007), and the Parenting Stress Index – Short Form (PSI-SF; Abidin, 1995). It was hypothesized that risk factors (depression, educational attainment, single mother status, documentation status, and having a child with special needs), social support, and length of time living in the U.S. would all significantly predict parenting stress. In addition, it was hypothesized that social support would moderate the relationship between risk and parenting stress and that documentation status would moderate the relationship between social support and parenting stress. Results of a linear multiple regression analysis found depression significantly predicted increased parenting stress and social support significantly predicted decreased parenting stress. However, single mother status, educational attainment, having a child with special needs, documentation status, and length of time living the U.S. were all non-significant predictors of parenting stress. Results of moderated regression analyses found social support significantly moderated the relationship between educational attainment and parenting stress. Documentation status did not moderate the relationship between social support and parenting stress. Despite the limitations of this present study, implications for mental health practitioners highlight the significance of cultural values and contextual circumstances on how a Hispanic immigrant mother appraises depression, social support, and parenting stress. Individualizing prevention and intervention efforts for Hispanic immigrant mothers is recommended in order to capture both cultural values and contextual circumstances unique to each individual.
