Involuntary Engagement Stress Responses and Family Dynamics: Time-Lagged Models of Negative Mood

Abstract

Low-income Latino youth display disproportionate rates of mood problems compared with peers in other ethnic groups. Dysregulation of the stress reactivity system, reflected by involuntary engagement stress responses (IESRs), contributes to mood problems. However, two important family constructs—parent-child conflict and familism—may moderate the association between IESRs and negative mood. Parent-child conflict might exacerbate the link between IESRs and negative mood. Fortunately, low-income Latino youth may benefit from the cultural value of familism. Familism might weaken the tie between IESRs and negative mood and the tie between parent-child conflict and negative mood. The present study used a daily diary methodology and time-lagged models to examine these processes among low-income Latino adolescents. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to test the moderating effects of parent-child conflict and familism on the association between daily IESRs and negative mood. In addition, the moderating effect of familism was tested on the association between parent-child conflict and negative mood. Findings indicated that parent-child conflict exacerbated the relation between IESRs and negative mood on the same day, but not on the following day. Familism weakened the relation between IESRs and negative mood on the same day, but not on the following day. Familism fully buffered the link between parent-child conflict and negative moods, on the same day and on the following day. Thus, for low-income Latino youth, involuntary stress responses may have a significant impact on mood problems, though family-level factors are also important.