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Mental Health, Quality of Life and Violence Exposure in Low-Socioeconomic Status Children and Adolescents of Guatemala

Author

Listed:
  • Rosalba Company-Córdoba

    (Human Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 41704 Sevilla, Spain)

  • Diego Gómez-Baya

    (Department of Social, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universidad De Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain)

  • Francisca López-Gaviño

    (ETEA Foundation, Development Institute of Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 14004 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Joaquín A. Ibáñez-Alfonso

    (Human Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 41704 Sevilla, Spain
    ETEA Foundation, Development Institute of Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 14004 Córdoba, Spain)

Abstract

Growing up in vulnerable conditions has an impact on children and adolescents’ mental health and well-being outcomes. However, this evidence has rarely been obtained in middle and low-income countries like Guatemala, where food insecurity and exposure to violence frequently threaten childhood development. The aim of this study was to analyse the relations that sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors have with psychological adjustment of low-socioeconomic status (SES) Guatemalan children and adolescents, and how these relations were mediated by food insecurity and exposure to violence. A total of 185 participants (50.8% girls; aged between 6 to 17, M = 11.82, SD = 3.7) from three vulnerable schools located in rural and urban areas of Guatemala were assessed. The results indicated that exposure to violence significantly moderates the effect of sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables in measures of depression, anxiety and health-related quality of life. Adolescents more exposed to violence reported higher levels of depression and anxiety, as well as lower levels of health-related quality of life. In contrast, food insecurity did not seem to influence psychological adjustment outcomes in this low-SES sample. These findings highlight the relevance of exposure to violence for mental health and well-being, and is a factor that should be considered when designing public health policies to promote children and adolescents’ welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Rosalba Company-Córdoba & Diego Gómez-Baya & Francisca López-Gaviño & Joaquín A. Ibáñez-Alfonso, 2020. "Mental Health, Quality of Life and Violence Exposure in Low-Socioeconomic Status Children and Adolescents of Guatemala," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-22, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:20:p:7620-:d:431349
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Izutsu, Takashi & Tsutsumi, Atsuro & Islam, Akramul Md. & Kato, Seika & Wakai, Susumu & Kurita, Hiroshi, 2006. "Mental health, quality of life, and nutritional status of adolescents in Dhaka, Bangladesh: Comparison between an urban slum and a non-slum area," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(6), pages 1477-1488, September.
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