(PS5-75) Openness of Parent Communication and Youth Religiosity as a Protective Factor for Youth Psychopathology

Identifying factors that protect Latine youth from experiencing mental health problems continues to be a national priority. Parent-youth communication and youth religiosity have been shown to protect youth psychopathology (Gorostiaga et al., 2019; Holmes & Kim-Spoon, 2015; Raymond-Flesch et al., 2021). Specifically, it has been found that stronger parent-youth communication is related to lower odds of youth depression in Latine populations (Raymond-Flesch et al., 2021). Additionally, religiosity, a primary component of Latine culture, has been shown to have beneficial mental health outcomes for Latine youth (Yonker et al., 2012). Specifically, it has been noted that youth religiosity is associated with lower levels of suicide ideation among Latine youth (Boyas et al., 2019).  However, research has primarily focused on religious involvement (e.g., number of church services attended) rather than religious connection (e.g., internal spiritual connection) when measuring religiosity (Dew et al., 2008). Therefore, the present study aims to examine which of these parental and religious components are the strongest protective factors for youth psychopathology.

            Data was analyzed for 72 youth participants, ages ranging from 10 years to 16 years (M = 12.58, SD = 1.81; Table 1). Youth completed measures related to openness of parental communication (Barnes et al., 1985), intrinsic religiosity (Koenig et al., 1977), religious connection (Underwood, 2011), and youth psychopathology (i.e., internalizing and externalizing symptoms) (Goodman, 1977).

Two multiple linear regressions were conducted to explore these parental and religious factors in predicting youth internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, respectively. The first model, predicting internalizing symptoms, was significant, F(3,68) =  5.38, R²_adj = .16, p = .002, with openness of communication being the only significant predictor, B = -1.36,  = -.38, p = .002 (Table 3). Gender was added into the model as a covariate and was significantly associated with internalizing symptoms, B = 1.82,  = .29, p = .009. The second model, predicting externalizing symptoms, was significant, F(3, 68) = 7.14, R²_adj = .21, p < .001, with openness of communication being the only significant predictor, B = -1.85,  = -.47, p < .001 (Table 4). Gender was added into the model as a covariate and was significantly associated with externalizing symptoms, B = 1.60,  = .23, p = .034.

Despite the literature suggesting that factors related to both parenting and religiosity protect youth psychopathology, our findings indicated that only openness of communication was a significant predictor. The current findings suggest the need to examine the roles of the parent-youth relationship and youth religiosity level with differences in internalizing and externalizing symptoms.