Effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household: a two-year longitudinal study in Cartagena, Colombia, and Valencia, Venezuela
Female heads of household face unique stressors related to economic survival and family care, yet few evidence-based interventions address their specific emotional health needs. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | Critical Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2025.2547499 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849228044081823744 |
|---|---|
| author | Heidy Rico Mario de la Puente Florentino Rico Tatiana Londoño |
| author_facet | Heidy Rico Mario de la Puente Florentino Rico Tatiana Londoño |
| author_sort | Heidy Rico |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Female heads of household face unique stressors related to economic survival and family care, yet few evidence-based interventions address their specific emotional health needs. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household in two Latin American urban settings. A two-year longitudinal quasi-experimental study was conducted with 183 women (91 in Cartagena, Colombia; 92 in Valencia, Venezuela) aged 18–55 who maintained sole household responsibility. The intervention consisted of weekly community-based emotional literacy and stress management training sessions. Statistical analysis employed Latent Growth Mixture Modeling (LGMM), Multi-level Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and Time-Varying Effect Models (TVEMs) to assess stress reduction, emotional regulation improvements, and program effectiveness over time. The analysis identified three distinct response patterns among participants. Direct effects of emotional literacy training on stress reduction (0.452) and emotional regulation (0.385) were statistically meaningful (p < 0.05) across both cities. Stress management coefficients improved from −0.384 at 6 months to −0.645 at 24 months, while intervention adherence declined moderately from 0.845 to 0.734. The intervention was most effective for women with moderate baseline stress levels and at least primary education. The structured emotional literacy and stress management program effectively reduced stress and improved emotional regulation among female heads of household in both urban settings. Municipal health departments should implement community health center-based stress management training integrated with primary healthcare services. Future research should examine program adaptations for rural communities and evaluate long-term effects beyond the two-year intervention period. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c8f562c36cd9406a8e9173ccdf12f3b3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0958-1596 1469-3682 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Critical Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-c8f562c36cd9406a8e9173ccdf12f3b32025-08-23T08:55:45ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCritical Public Health0958-15961469-36822025-12-0135110.1080/09581596.2025.2547499Effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household: a two-year longitudinal study in Cartagena, Colombia, and Valencia, VenezuelaHeidy Rico0Mario de la Puente1Florentino Rico2Tatiana Londoño3The Business Management Virtual Modality Program, Universidad de Cartagena, Barranquilla, ColombiaDepartment of Political Science, Universidad Del Norte, Barranquilla, ColombiaThe Public Accounting Program, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Cúcuta, ColombiaThe Business Management Virtual Modality Program, Universidad de Cartagena, Barranquilla, ColombiaFemale heads of household face unique stressors related to economic survival and family care, yet few evidence-based interventions address their specific emotional health needs. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household in two Latin American urban settings. A two-year longitudinal quasi-experimental study was conducted with 183 women (91 in Cartagena, Colombia; 92 in Valencia, Venezuela) aged 18–55 who maintained sole household responsibility. The intervention consisted of weekly community-based emotional literacy and stress management training sessions. Statistical analysis employed Latent Growth Mixture Modeling (LGMM), Multi-level Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and Time-Varying Effect Models (TVEMs) to assess stress reduction, emotional regulation improvements, and program effectiveness over time. The analysis identified three distinct response patterns among participants. Direct effects of emotional literacy training on stress reduction (0.452) and emotional regulation (0.385) were statistically meaningful (p < 0.05) across both cities. Stress management coefficients improved from −0.384 at 6 months to −0.645 at 24 months, while intervention adherence declined moderately from 0.845 to 0.734. The intervention was most effective for women with moderate baseline stress levels and at least primary education. The structured emotional literacy and stress management program effectively reduced stress and improved emotional regulation among female heads of household in both urban settings. Municipal health departments should implement community health center-based stress management training integrated with primary healthcare services. Future research should examine program adaptations for rural communities and evaluate long-term effects beyond the two-year intervention period.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2025.2547499Emotional regulationstress managementfemale heads of householdpublic health interventionsocioeconomic factors |
| spellingShingle | Heidy Rico Mario de la Puente Florentino Rico Tatiana Londoño Effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household: a two-year longitudinal study in Cartagena, Colombia, and Valencia, Venezuela Critical Public Health Emotional regulation stress management female heads of household public health intervention socioeconomic factors |
| title | Effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household: a two-year longitudinal study in Cartagena, Colombia, and Valencia, Venezuela |
| title_full | Effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household: a two-year longitudinal study in Cartagena, Colombia, and Valencia, Venezuela |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household: a two-year longitudinal study in Cartagena, Colombia, and Valencia, Venezuela |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household: a two-year longitudinal study in Cartagena, Colombia, and Valencia, Venezuela |
| title_short | Effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household: a two-year longitudinal study in Cartagena, Colombia, and Valencia, Venezuela |
| title_sort | effectiveness of a structured emotional literacy and stress management program for female heads of household a two year longitudinal study in cartagena colombia and valencia venezuela |
| topic | Emotional regulation stress management female heads of household public health intervention socioeconomic factors |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2025.2547499 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT heidyrico effectivenessofastructuredemotionalliteracyandstressmanagementprogramforfemaleheadsofhouseholdatwoyearlongitudinalstudyincartagenacolombiaandvalenciavenezuela AT mariodelapuente effectivenessofastructuredemotionalliteracyandstressmanagementprogramforfemaleheadsofhouseholdatwoyearlongitudinalstudyincartagenacolombiaandvalenciavenezuela AT florentinorico effectivenessofastructuredemotionalliteracyandstressmanagementprogramforfemaleheadsofhouseholdatwoyearlongitudinalstudyincartagenacolombiaandvalenciavenezuela AT tatianalondono effectivenessofastructuredemotionalliteracyandstressmanagementprogramforfemaleheadsofhouseholdatwoyearlongitudinalstudyincartagenacolombiaandvalenciavenezuela |