Masculine roles of family provider and protector may interact with work, stress, and coping among immigrant Latino men

Over the past 20 years, the southern US has experienced a rapid influx of immigrant Latinos. These areas, known as new destination communities, are more likely to be rural and lack established Latino networks. Little is known about how living and working in these communities influence Latino men's mental health. We explored immigrant Latino men’s perceptions and experiences related to family, immigration, and work.

We conducted semi-structured, individual in-depth interviews with 20 immigrant Latino men in North Carolina, a state with one of the fastest-growing Latino communities in the US. The interviews explored perceived health, concerns about family-, immigration-, and work-related stressors, and coping strategies. Two independent raters coded each interview using constant comparison, an approach to grounded theory development. Consensus was reached on codes and themes.

Average age of participants was 32.4 years, and all immigrated to the US from Mexico between 15-25 years old. Common stresses identified included those related to threats to their ability to engage in gender-specific role behaviors related to providing food, housing, and safety for their families. Positive coping strategies included family interactions, music, and exercise. However, participants reported that some immigrant Latino men use alcohol to cope, sometimes resulting in job loss, injury, and/or economic failure.

Much of the literature related to masculinity focuses on traditional masculinity as increasing risk; however, this study explored positive masculine roles (caballerismo vs. machismo). Participants emphasized the roles of family provider and protector and their interaction with health behaviors. More in-depth research needs to be conducted; however, mental health providers, other providers, and researchers should consider the role of positive coping techniques and leverage prosocial aspects of masculinity to promote healthy behaviors among men.