Examining Structural Violence in Guatemala through the Conceptualizations of Depressive Symptoms (2012)

Undergraduate: Benjamin Rosado

Faculty Advisor: Sue Estroff
Department: International & Area Studies

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This study aimed to (1) describe how individuals living in the Western highland regions of Guatemala conceptualize and respond to depressive symptoms and (2) how those conceptual models can be used as a lens for examining societal forces of structural violence. A convenience sample of 46 local Guatemalans was presented with a vignette depicting a person with symptoms of major depression. Semi-structured interviews were employed in order to examine how individuals identified the depressive symptoms, attributed causality, suggested remedies and ways of managing the problem, and the social stigma surrounding expressions of depressive behaviors. Consistent with existing literature, findings indicate that Guatemalans perceive depressive symptoms as a problem largely stemming from social and interpersonal factors. Moreover, suggested ways of managing the problem primarily related to seeking professional and informal help, reliance on personal agency, and faith-based aid. However, stigma surrounding depressive symptoms seems to make individuals apprehensive about seeking interpersonal help. Throughout the interviews, elements of structural violence were frequently elicited, such as poverty, city violence, and lack of social capital. This study considers how those elements can become embodied at the level of the human lived experience in the form of depressive symptoms.