“I Learned to Bottle Up My Feelings From a Young Age”: A Narrative Analysis of Latina Young People’s Family Mental Health Socialization

Latina young people report high levels of mental health problems and low levels of help-seeking compared with their white peers, but little research has examined factors influencing their mental health views. Inductive analysis of 25 participants’ narratives revealed that Latina young people described three stages in the development of their mental health-related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors: undergoing a process of family mental health socialization, suffering in silence, and attaining a new perspective. Within each of these phases, participants shared stories that attest to their agency and resilience. This research uncovers a novel theoretical construct, “family mental health socialization,” which elucidates how young people internalize mental health-related beliefs, behaviors, and norms within their cultural and family context. Implications for social work practice include the need for culturally sensitive, family-centered interventions that promote open communication about mental health.