Mexican American adolescents and generalized anxiety disorder: a narrative review

Mexican American adolescents have a higher risk for experiencing a mental health disorder, specifically generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), compared to their non-Mexican American peers. This comprehensive narrative review examined the unique factors contributing to the manifestation of GAD among Mexican American adolescents living in the United States. The socio-ecological model (SEM) was utilized to explore bibliographic material pertaining to the various factors that influence GAD in Mexican American adolescents. Factors contributing to the manifestation of GAD were present at all multifaceted levels of the SEM. This research adds to the limited, yet growing, knowledge of GAD among Mexican American adolescents and the importance of culture, family cohesion and involvement, and the educational setting in fostering healthy development for this population.