Andrea S. Medrano

Psychological well-being is a critical yet understudied aspect of healthcare in rural communities worldwide, where limited mental health services and cultural stigma can hinder access to care and u...

Community violence exposure (CVE) is a pervasive risk to youth mental health, yet developmental research examining protective factors in Latin America remains scarce. This cross‐sectional investigation examined CVE and psychological symptoms among early adolescents ( N = 346) and young adults ( N = 499) living in a chronically violent region of Michoacán, Mexico. Participants completed validated measures of witnessing violence, personal victimization, school belonging, depressive symptoms, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Results indicated that CVE was widespread in both age groups and consistently associated with elevated depressive symptoms and PTSS. Notably, developmentally distinct moderation patterns emerged. Among early adolescents, higher school belonging intensified the associations between CVE and depressive symptoms, consistent with a vulnerable‐reactive pattern. In contrast, school belonging buffered the association between CVE and PTSS among young adults. These findings suggest that the function of school belonging may differ by developmental stage, operating as a source of potential ecological sensitivity in early adolescence and as a resilience resource in young adulthood. Results underscore the importance of developmentally tailored supports for youth navigating chronic violence in the Global South.

Honduras registra tasas alarmantes de Violencia Basada en Género (VBG), pero existe escasa evidencia sobre su impacto en la salud mental rural. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la prevalencia de violencia de pareja íntima (IPV, por sus siglas en inglés) y acoso sexual, y examinar sus asociaciones simultáneas con síntomas de depresión y trauma, controlando la varianza compartida entre estas formas de violencia. Mediante un diseño transversal con 291 mujeres de 10 municipios de Santa Bárbara, Honduras, se utilizó un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales controlando variables sociodemográficas. Los resultados indicaron que la IPV fue altamente prevalente (73 % psicológica, 49 % física y 33 % sexual), con tasas críticas en municipios de extrema pobreza como Chinda. El 68.8 % de las participantes reportó acoso sexual. La IPV psicológica y el acoso sexual se asociaron con mayores síntomas depresivos; el acoso sexual fue el predictor más robusto de síntomas traumáticos (b = 3.09, p < 0.001). Se concluye que la VBG en zonas rurales es extrema y el acoso sexual es un eje central del malestar psicológico, lo que subraya la necesidad de intervenciones comunitarias sensibles al trauma.

A preponderance of research suggests that adolescents’ participation in structured after-school activities is linked to academic benefits, yet less is known about the educational effects of different types of after-school engagement. This mixed methods, two-wave longitudinal study examined associations between school-, community-, and home-based after-school activities and academic outcomes among Latino adolescents. The quantitative sample included 416 Latino adolescents at Wave 1 ( M _age = 15.5) and 335 who participated at Wave 2 one year later ( M _age = 16.6), serving as the analytic sample. A subsample of 45 adolescents participated in semi-structured interviews. Overall participation in structured activities was low, with unstructured home-based activities reported most often. Longitudinal path models indicated that greater breadth of structured community-based activity participation was associated with higher educational expectations one year later. Greater breadth and intensity of unstructured community-based activities were associated with lower subsequent GPA. Home-based activities showed no main effects but exhibited gender-differentiated associations with school effort and belonging. Qualitative findings contextualized these patterns, highlighting perceived academic benefits of tutoring, sports, and mentoring, alongside time constraints and family responsibilities that shaped adolescents’ engagement. Together, findings underscore the importance of activity structure and context in understanding how after-school experiences are linked to academic outcomes.

Sexual victimization (SV) among youth remains a critical public health concern with far-reaching developmental and mental health consequences. However, inconsistent operationalization and measurement across studies undermine efforts to accurately assess prevalence and identify patterns of risk and resilience. Guided by PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we conducted a scoping review of U.S. studies assessing SV among youth ages 12 to 25 across school, community, and online settings and reporting at least one mental health outcome. In March 2024, we searched eight databases (e.g., PsycInfo, Medline, Criminal Justice Abstracts, and Web of Science), yielding 23,555 articles; 106 peer-reviewed articles were included. Inclusion criteria required studies to (a) include youth samples aged 12 to 25, (b) empirically assess SV, (c) occur in school, community, or online settings, and (d) be published in English with samples in the continental Unites States. Findings revealed substantial heterogeneity in SV measurement. Many studies used adapted or abbreviated versions of validated measures. Timeframes varied widely and many studies failed to specify the context in which SV occurred. Notably, although most studies reported the racial/ethnic composition of their samples, very few disaggregated SV outcomes by race or ethnicity, limiting the field’s ability to assess disparities or inform culturally responsive prevention efforts. Even studies using the same base measure differed in item content, developmental anchors, and scoring approaches. Findings underscore the need for developmentally grounded, context-specific, and racially inclusive measures and reporting standards (e.g., item-level transparency, consistent temporal anchors, routine disaggregation) to improve comparability and to inform setting-tailored, culturally responsive prevention and intervention.

Psychological disorders are prevalent and a pressing issue in Mexico. Mexican populations living in rural settings face exacerbated barriers rooted in long-held perceptions, gender roles, and geography that prevent them from accessing and utilizing support for their mental health. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 16 adults (12 women, 4 men; M _age = 36) living in rural Mexico, this study seeks to examine the ways in which machismo and familismo contribute to attitudes and intentions toward mental health knowledge and help-seeking. Qualitative conventional content analysis revealed seven themes that reflected the multifaceted nature of mental health perceptions. Findings show that Mexican rural adults hold largely positive help-seeking attitudes and intentions, often relying on familial support as an outlet for emotional expression. Moreover, familismo is a particularly salient agent that drives rural Mexican adults to connect with family members and consider utilizing mental health services. In contrast, behaviors and beliefs rooted in machismo norms contributed to stigma and reluctance to seek mental health help. Overall, findings from this study contribute to the scarcity of research with rural Mexicans and illuminates the complex interplay between cultural ideologies and mental health perceptions.

This study assessed (1) the prevalence of witnessing violence and personal victimization, (2) links between community violence exposure (CVE) and depressive and PTSD symptoms, and (3) family cohesion as a moderator in these associations among rural Mexican adults. Data were drawn from a larger mixed methods study with 200 Mexican adults (ages of 20–60; M _age = 40.7; 79.5% women) from the State of Mexico. Preliminary analyses indicated that participants reported more experiences of witnessing violence than personal victimization. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that only witnessing violence was significantly associated with depressive and PTSD symptoms. Family cohesion did not moderate these associations. Qualitative content analysis was conducted to further explore and contextualize a subset of participants' experiences with community violence. Findings underscore the high prevalence of CVE among rural Mexican adults and its significant associations with mental health. This study expands the predominantly urban‐focused CVE literature and highlights the need for culturally and contextually informed prevention and intervention efforts.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and community violence exposure (CVE) are prevalent worldwide and linked to adverse psychological outcomes. Despite high rates of violence, scarce research has examined IPV and CVE simultaneously in Mexico, with no prior study in rural Mexico. The current study aimed to (a) identify rates of IPV and CVE among rural Mexican men and women, (b) examine how IPV and CVE independently and simultaneously contribute to PTSD symptoms, and (c) determine if, and to what degree, gender plays a role in shaping how men and women experience PTSD symptoms after violence. Data were drawn from a sample of 200 adults ( M _age = 40.7, SD = 9.29) from a rural community in Mexico, with 79.5% women and 20.5% men. Four hierarchical regressions investigated the links between IPV, CVE, and PTSD symptoms, as well as the moderating role of gender. Women reported significantly higher rates of psychological and sexual IPV than men, with similar rates of physical IPV. CVE rates were high for both genders, with witnessing gunfire being the most common experience. Regression analyses showed that psychological IPV was the strongest predictor of PTSD symptoms ( b = 0.05, p < .001), with a standardized effect size 1.58 times that of witnessing violence ( b = 0.01, p < .05). Although there was no significant main effect of gender on PTSD symptoms, gender moderated the association between psychological IPV and PTSD, with men reporting significantly greater PTSD symptoms at high levels of psychological IPV. No significant interaction emerged for CVE and PTSD symptoms. Findings highlight the pronounced mental health consequences of psychological IPV and suggest a need for gender-sensitive interventions addressing IPV in rural Mexico.