229321 Development of an instrument to assess stress, depression, and coping behaviors in Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 5:15 PM - 5:30 PM

Beth Chaney, PhD, MCHES , Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Sloane C. Burke, PhD, CHES , Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
Robin C. Rager, PhD , Department of Public Health, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
Rachel Ward, MPH , Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
BACKGROUND: The estimated 3-5 million migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFWs) who support the multi-billion dollar agricultural industry in the U.S. often face very difficult living and working conditions, which increase risk for stress, depression, and mood-related psychological disorders. A solid grasp of the relationship between the occurrence of stressors, depression, and coping behaviors are important for a better understanding of how individual and societal health are impacted by them. Unfortunately, mental health research with MSFWs is limited. In addition, few research instruments designed to collect mental health data have been tested for applicability, cultural relevance, validity, and reliability among MSFWs. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop a culturally appropriate instrument to assess stress, signs/symptoms of depression, and coping behaviors in Latino MSFWs. METHODS: Researchers utilized a comprehensive instrument design framework to develop and pilot test the Migrant Farmerworker Stress, Depression, and Coping Survey with 60 MSFWs in North Carolina. A Principal Components Analysis with direct oblimin rotation was performed to determine item measurement. Alpha reliability coefficients were calculated for subscales. RESULTS: Sixty-seven items assessing stress, depression, coping and locus of control loaded on one of the five statistically extracted factors: Financial and Family Stress; Physical, Work, and Societal Stress; Stress Due to Lack of Documentation and Resources; Depression; and Locus of Control(LOC). Low reliability for LOC items resulted in their exclusion from the final 90-item questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: This newly developed instrument will provide a valuable tool for assessment of stress, depression, and coping among the MSFW population.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the comprehensive, systematic process of development of an instrument for assessing stress, depression, and coping behaviors among MSFWs. 2. Describe the need for more research on the development and applicability of instruments to collect mental health data with MSFW populations.

Keywords: Latino Mental Health, Survey

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract Author on the content because I was lead researcher on the instrument development component of the seed grant.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.