Graduation Year
2021
Date of Submission
12-2021
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
W.M. Keck Science Department
Reader 1
Sarah Budischak
Reader 2
Alicia Bonaparte
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
2021 Perla K Barajas
Abstract
In the Latine community, the prioritization of social or familial support (familism) serves as a cultural protective factor that has typically guarded against unfavorable health outcomes. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, social interactions and familial support were substantially limited. A vulnerable population during this pandemic was Latine birthing parents because previous studies have shown that perception of social support directly impacts postpartum depression (PPD) in this group. This study will use data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to compare PPD rates for Latine birthing parents from before the COVID-19 pandemic to the PPD rates during the pandemic. Moreover, the level of acculturation (i.e., the degree to which one has assimilated to mainstream, US culture) could influence the way the Latine community was impacted because acculturation directly affects the strength of heritage culture values like familism. Accordingly, this project will examine the relationships between acculturation, perceived social support, and postpartum depression through surveys from Latine birthing parents across the US. Finally, to contextualize the results of the surveys, we will conduct qualitative interviews to record and analyze firsthand experiences of birthing parents during the pandemic. We predict that the PPD rates for the Latine population will be higher during the pandemic than before. We also predict that less acculturated birthing parents with low social support will experience more PPD symptoms than their more acculturated counterparts. Results from this study will be beneficial to understanding PPD and addressing it in a culturally and contextually appropriate manner for the Latine community.
Recommended Citation
Barajas, Perla, "Postpartum Depression Rates in Latine Birthing Parents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Closer Look at Cultural Protective Factors and Acculturation" (2021). CMC Senior Theses. 2801.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/2801
