(PS4-A18) Spanish Proficiency and Adolescent Depression: A Dual Mediation Model

Given the evidence of cross-cultural differences in the expression and understanding of emotions, it is vital to further understand the role of language in emotional experiences (Douaud & Cronin, 1980). As the number of Spanish-speaking youth in the United States continues to rise, with approximately 73% of Latinx youth speaking Spanish at home, it is critical to understand how language may influence emotional development among this population (Pew Research Center, 2015). The grammatical differences between Spanish and English, specifically the use of the verbs "ser" and "estar" to express permanent and temporary states of being, respectively, may influence emotional processes and development among Spanish-speaking youth. While research on the relation between language and emotional reactivity is scarce, neuroimaging studies have suggested that language may play a role in emotional experience by activating brain regions associated with emotional reactivity, semantic processing, and discrete emotional experiences (Binder et al., 2009; Grimm et al., 2006; Guillory & Bujarski, 2014; Satpute & Lindquist, 2021; Spunt & Adolphs, 2014). Although studies have shown associations between language proficiency and psychosocial outcomes among Latinx youth, the mechanisms by which language proficiency influences these outcomes are not yet fully understood (Han, 2010; Polo & Lopez, 2009). Therefore, the present study explored the mediating effects of parental attachment and emotional reactivity on the link between Spanish proficiency and depressive symptoms. The study included 306 Latinx youth (55.2% female) ages 10-14 (M = 11.44, SD=.96) from Chicago Public Schools. Youth completed measures of Spanish proficiency, the Inventory of Parent/Peer Attachment-Revised for mother and father (Gullone & Robinson, 2005), the Emotional Reactivity Scale (Nock et al., 2008), and the Children’s Depression Inventory (Kovacs, 1992). Analyses conducted using SPSS V.25.0 and Model 6 of the PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2021) revealed that parental attachment and emotional reactivity significantly mediated the relation between Spanish proficiency and depressive symptoms for girls only (b = .289, SE = .181, CI = 95%, LLCI = .004, ULCI = .712). For boys, Spanish proficiency had a significant direct effect on depressive symptoms, such that higher Spanish proficiency predicted lower depressive symptoms (b = 1.47, SE = .63, p = .020, LLCI = .230, ULCI = 2.711). These findings support a dual mediation model in which adolescent girls’ Spanish influences their parental attachment, and attachment influences their emotional reactivity, which in turn affects depressive symptoms. By identifying the mediating effects of parental attachment and emotional reactivity on the link between Spanish proficiency and depressive symptoms, this study sheds light on the potential mechanisms underlying emotional development among Latinx youth and suggests that Spanish proficiency may be a protective factor against depression.