Family Relationships and Familism Among Mexican Americans on the US-Mexico Border During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had a disproportionately negative impact on communities of color across the U.S., including Mexican Americans. The present study examined the influence of the pandemic on family relationships among individuals living in the U.S.-Mexico border region and how changes in family relationships were related to both familism values and mental health. Method: Two hundred ninety-one college Latino students participated in a survey that asked about changes in family relationships and mental health since the beginning of the pandemic. Results: Contrary to our initial hypothesis, the majority of respondents indicated their family relationships had not changed since the beginning of the pandemic. However, those who reported negative changes in their family relationships also reported worse mental health whereas those who reported positive changes reported higher familism values. Mediational models revealed an indirect effect of familism support values on depression via changes in family relationships. Conclusions: Although cross-sectional, these results provide preliminary evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Mexican Americans in the border region, as well as cultural factors that promote resilience in times of stress. Public Significance Statement Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had a disproportionately negative impact on communities of color across the U.S., including Mexican Americans. Findings suggest positive and negative shifts in family relationships since the beginning of the pandemic among Mexican Americans are related to both cultural values of familism and mental health, including depression and anxiety.