title: Depressive symptoms among help-seeking Latinas in a disadvantaged, urban, northeastern community mental health center.
abstract: This study examined racial/ethnic differences in self-reported depressive symptoms in a clinical population at a northeastern community mental health center. Two hundred eighty-two individuals presenting for mental health intake completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II in either English or Spanish. Latinas reported higher severity of depressive symptoms compared to both African Americans and non-Latina whites. Latinas showed higher levels on both the somatic and the affective/cognitive scales of the BDI-II. These findings differ somewhat from previous reports, some of which suggest that Latinas exhibit elevation specifically in somatic symptoms. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for assessment and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System, Bridgeport, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liefland
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: B Jamie
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Stevens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001741:Black or African American