Mexican-Origin College Students’ Stress,Sibling Relationships,Academic Motivation,and Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

The current study investigated associations among interpersonal, academic, financial, and ethnicity-related stressors and college students’ academic motivation and depressive symptoms, as well as the moderating role of positive sibling relationships on these associations. Participants included 171 Mexican-origin college students (80.7% female; M = 21.6 years). Data were collected using an online survey and analyzed with path analysis. Under conditions of more positive sibling relationships, there was a positive association between interpersonal stress and academic motivation, a negative association between ethnicity-related social stress and academic motivation, and a positive association between financial stress and depressive symptoms. Under conditions of less positive sibling relationships, there was a positive association between interpersonal stress and depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that sibling relationships may only be protective for certain types of stress.

Keywords

stress academic motivation depression sibling relationships Mexican

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