Predictors of well-being and depression among Latino college students

Latinos are one of the fastest growing minority groups in the United States. It is estimated that by the year 2050 approximately 25 percent of the United States population will be Latino (U.S. Department of Health & Human services, 2001). However, only approximately 10 percent of all Latinos in the United States possess a college degree (Saunders & Serna, 2004; Yazedjian & Towes, 2006). In addition to the typical college stressors faced by most students as they transition from high school to college, it is believed that Latino students experience unique challenges as an ethnic and cultural minority group within the academic community (Rodriguez, et al). These challenges produce stress which affects students’ well-being. Psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression result from stress; thus, the study of stress among Latino college students may assist in formulating prevention and intervention strategies to increase Latino students’ college retention (Rosenthal & Schreiner, 2000). The objectives of this study were to examine the relative contribution of general college stress and minority student college stress to depression and well-being among Latino college students, controlling for gender and college generational status. Three dimensions of general college stress (academic, social and financial) and two dimensions of minority college stress (interracial and achievement) were examined. Participants were 229 students (77% women) enrolled in the second most ethnically diverse major research university of the United States. Forty seven percent of participants were first generation college students, meaning that neither their fathers nor mothers had attended college. The measures used to examine the variables of interest included the College Stress Scale (CSS), the Minority Student Stress Scale (MSSS), the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the General Well-being Schedule (GWBS). Results of preliminary analyses revealed very few gender and college generational ...