Silencing the self, relationship satisfaction and Marianismo: An analysis of depression of Latinas.
Item
-
Title
-
Silencing the self, relationship satisfaction and Marianismo: An analysis of depression of Latinas.
-
Identifier
-
AAI9830775
-
identifier
-
9830775
-
Creator
-
Vazquez, Maria D.
-
Contributor
-
Adviser: Vera Paster
-
Date
-
1998
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
Psychology, Clinical | Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies | Psychology, Social
-
Abstract
-
Epidemiological studies have documented that depression is the leading mental health problem for women with rates reported to be twice that of men and some studies indicating a ratio of 3 to 1. Hispanic women are no exception to the rule, and in fact may be at a higher risk because as a group they are more likely to have a preponderance of risk factors.;Contemporary advances in the psychology of women have elucidated how cultural forces interact with adult women's development to create a vulnerability to depression. Silencing the Self theory explains women's vulnerability to depression as related to women's belief about intimacy. Women self-silence and self-sacrifice in order to maintain intimacy and in the process experience a loss of authentic connection with the self.;Feminist scholars have linked depression to the repression of anger, low self esteem and feelings of helplessness. In addition, traditional sex roles have been linked to depression. Marianismo, a cultural concept that informs behaviors of Latinas encourages passivity, self-sacrifice and the repression of anger.;The objectives of the study were: to investigate the relationship of adherence to traditional marianismo sex roles to self-silencing/self-sacrificing behaviors and also to depression for Latina women; to investigate the correlation between relationship satisfaction and depression; to investigate the relationship between traditional sex roles and education.;The main finding of this study is that regardless of age and marital status, women who either did not have a satisfactory relationship, and/or self-silenced and self-sacrificed in the context of an intimate relationship show consistently higher levels of depression. The implication of the finding is that women's inherent relational orientation may put them at risk for depression.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
-
degree
-
Ph.D.
