Date of Award

January 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Counseling Psychology & Community Services

First Advisor

Rachel Navarro

Abstract

Latiné adolescents in the United States face increasing mental health challenges, including elevated rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and emotional distress, particularly in underserved regions such as the Midwest. Despite these needs, Latiné adolescents remain underrepresented in mental health research, particularly with respect to how cultural values and intersecting identities—such as gender, immigrant status, and perceived socioeconomic status—influence stigma and help-seeking behaviors. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study explored how mental health stigma and cultural factors shape help-seeking intentions and recommendations among 95 self-identified Latiné adolescents in North Dakota and Minnesota. The study examined two primary aims: (1) to assess how gender and immigration status relate to dimensions of mental health stigma (knowledge and attitudes, stigma awareness and action, avoidance and discomfort, and social distance), and (2) to determine how intersecting identities and cultural variables (familismo and ethnic identity salience) predict help-seeking intentions and recommendations for peers across formal, informal, and school-based settings. Participants completed measures regarding mental health stigma, cultural identity, and help-seeking behaviors, and responded to clinical vignettes illustrating peers with mental illness. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that perceived socioeconomic status and depressive symptoms were significant predictors of stigma awareness and social distance. Gender and immigration status, particularly in interaction, influenced adolescents’ views of vignette characters with mental health conditions. Immigrant Latinas expressed more stigma-related beliefs and were more likely to view peers with mental illness as "bad people," while non-immigrant Latinas perceived mental health concerns as more serious and were more open to school-based help-seeking. The findings provide an understanding intersecting identities and cultural values in shaping Latiné adolescents’ perceptions of mental illness and their willingness to seek support. This study contributes to the limited literature on Latiné adolescent mental health, especially in rural and under-resourced settings, and highlights the need for culturally informed, identity-conscious interventions aimed at reducing stigma and enhancing access to mental health services for this growing population.

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