Depression in Family Caregivers of Mexican Descent: Exacerbated by Stress and Mitigated by Mutuality

Despite common assumptions that non-paid family caregivers of Mexican descent benefit spiritually from their roles according to cultural familistic norms, there is also evidence of caregiver stress resulting in depression. Depression has the potential to seriously affect caregivers' health and their ability to continue to provide care. The current study's purpose was to examine the relationships among depression, stress, and mutuality (i.e., the quality of the caregiver-care recipient relationship) ( N = 74 caregivers of Mexican descent in the southwestern United States). Multiple regression models and exploratory mediational analyses indicated that the stress-depression relationship can be significantly mediated by mutuality. Results support culturally appropriate interventions to decrease caregiver stress and depression by promoting mutuality. In addition, with changing trends in outside work roles and mobility of caregivers of Mexican descent, policy should make services truly accessible to support caregiving families of Mexican descent.