Sexual trauma is a national public health concern due to the alarming rates at which it occurs and decades of research supporting its long-term deleterious effects on health outcomes. We assessed the impact of gender norms and sexual trauma on power within sexual relationships among Latina immigrant farmworkers. At baseline, participants (N = 175) completed a survey examining demographic information, sexual trauma history, and gender norms; a follow-up was administered 6 months later. Past sexual trauma was associated with less power in sexual relationships, r = −.25, p < .001, as was endorsement of traditional Latina gender norms (i.e., marianismo): sexual relationship control, r = −.38, p < .001; sexual decision-making dominance, r = −.21, p = .005. In contrast, egalitarian gender norm endorsement was associated with higher levels of sexual relationship control, r = .37, p < .001, and sexual decision-making dominance, r = .17, p = .023. Gender norms moderated the association between sexual trauma and sexual relationship power. Specifically, women who subscribed more to marianismo and reported sexual trauma had less decision-making dominance in sexual relationships, whereas those with lower ratings of marianismo reported higher levels of decision-making dominance despite sexual trauma, R 2 = .03, p = .022. Sexual trauma history coupled with higher ratings of egalitarian gender norms was associated with higher levels of sexual relationship control, DR 2 = .02, p = .023. These results highlight the importance of culturally informed research to increase the sexual and overall health of vulnerable populations (e.g., Latina immigrant farmworkers).

No abstract

No abstract

In the past decade, recent Latinx immigrants (RLIs) from South and Central America have arrived in the United States seeking asylum from countries affected by war, political upheaval, and high crime and poverty rates. The premigration stress and trauma they experience are further compounded by postimmigration stress due to discrimination, lack of access to health care, and financial instability. Evidence suggests RLIs who experience such stress and trauma have an increased risk of developing depressive symptoms. We examined the combined effect of premigration stress and trauma and postimmigration stress on postimmigration depressive symptoms; we also explored the moderating effect of gender. Hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses were conducted on a cross-sectional sample of 540 young adult RLIs (age range: 18-34 years, 50.2% men) in South Florida. Higher levels of postimmigration stress, β = .37, p < .001, were associated with increased postimmigration depressive symptoms. No significant associations emerged between premigration stress and trauma and postimmigration depressive symptoms. Moderation analyses revealed no significant interaction effect of gender. Post hoc analyses indicated that country/region of origin moderated the relation between postimmigration stress and depressive symptoms such that the association was stronger among Venezuelan, β = 1.51, p < .001; other South American, β = 1.06, p < .001; and Central American/Mexican RLIs, β = 1.38, p < .001, compared with Caribbean RLIs, β = .45, p = .122. These findings suggest that interventions focused on addressing postimmigration stress early in the immigration process can potentially lower subsequent depressive symptoms among RLIs.

No abstract