The influence of enculturation and shifting in predicting marianismo beliefs among Latinx women

ABSTRACT The present study examined shifting, or the altering of one’s self-presentation in response to perceived environmental cultural cues, as a mediator of the predictive effects of Latinx women’s enculturation on their marianismo beliefs. Understanding how Latinx women’s perceptions of traditional cultural values and beliefs regarding gender, such as marianismo (i.e. gendered Latinx family cultural values), are influenced by their enculturation and shifting coping strategies, may provide investigators and practitioners more nuanced ways of viewing these women. These predictive relationships were examined with measures of Latinx enculturation, shifting, and marianismo within a structural model. These quantitative relationships were examined with a sample of 548 Latinx women. Results of a structural equation model indicated full mediation: Latinx women who were less enculturated tended to use shifting to a greater extent, and subsequently were more likely to endorse marianismo beliefs. Enculturation did not directly predict marianismo in the full mediation model. These findings suggest that some Latinx women may navigate perceived hostile social environments through the use of the shifting coping mechanism which in turn results in a stronger endorsement of marianismo beliefs. Implications for clinical work and future research with Latinx populations are discussed.