Prevalence of Psychological Distress among Mexican Americans

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Abstract
Data are presented from sample surveys conducted in 1974 (3119) and 1975 (657) in Alameda County, California, USA, comparing psychological distress among Mexican Americans, blacks and Anglos. Measures of psychological distress include satisfaction with leisure, marriage and job, reported happiness, positive and negative affect, and reported episodes of emotional problems and chronic nervous trouble. Based on crude prevalence rates, there are no differences among the ethnic groups in either sample in reported emotional or mental illness, and negative affect. There are differences in happiness, job satisfaction and chronic nervous trouble in the 1974 study but not the other. In the remaining 3 comparisons (satisfaction with leisure and with marriage, positive affect) there are significant differences in both studies, Chicanos faring worse than Anglos but somewhat better than blacks. Controlling for the effects of age, sex, education, income, marital status and physical health status in general reduces but does not eliminate most of these ethnic differences, and in no case is the rate for Chicanos lower than that for Anglos.

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