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This study systematically reviewed the methodology and findings of 19 peer-reviewed studies on the experience of bereavement among widowed Latinos, including risk and protective factors to the health of this vulnerable population. Of these studies, 10 included quantitative data, 3 were qualitative studies, and 6 were narrative reviews. Results emphasized the relevance of cultural beliefs about death, rituals, religion, and Latino values (i.e., familismo, respeto, simpatía, personalismo) as common themes in the included studies, along with expressions of grief (e.g., Ataque de nervios, somatization) that vary by gender and acculturation. Risk factors associated with diminished well-being in this population included being a male, financial strain, cultural stressors, having an undocumented legal status, experiencing widowhood at a younger age, and having poor physical health. Effective coping strategies identified included having adequate social support primarily from family, religion and religious practices, the use of folk medicine, volunteering, and the use of emotional release strategies. Moreover, the results highlight that researches informing the health needs of widowed Latinos in the US is limited, and studies with enhanced methodological rigor are needed to better understand the complex needs of this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood maltreatment dysregulates an individual's physiological response to stress, increasing reactivity to stressors across the lifespan. Given the prevalence and impact of bereavement, we examined whether the association between childhood maltreatment and depression was exacerbated by spousal bereavement. We identified an interaction between childhood maltreatment and bereavement using linear regression analysis (B = 0.79, p <.001). A simple slopes test indicated a positive association between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms among those who were bereaved (B = 0.86, p <.001), but such association did not emerge among those who were not bereaved (B = 0.06, p =.60). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examined the association between transnational death and psychological distress among undocumented Mexican immigrants. The Minority Stress Model and a disenfranchised grief perspective were used as frameworks for this study. Method: Respondent driven sampling (RDS) was used to collect data from clinical interviews with 248 undocumented Mexican immigrants residing near the US–Mexico border. Results: After controlling for relevant covariates, experiencing transnational death was a significant predictor of clinically significant distress in this at-risk population. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the need to contextualize transnational death among undocumented immigrants from a perspective of disenfranchised grief that requires the development of contextually and culturally sensitive interventions aimed at addressing the high prevalence of transnational death and its associated distress in this marginalized population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]