A longitudinal test of Mexican-origin teen mothers' cultural characteristics and children's Spanish vocabulary via mothers' Spanish language use.

OBJECTIVES: The present study examined whether teen mothers' adaptive cultural characteristics (i.e., familism values, language competency pressures, and involvement in Mexican culture and U.S. mainstream culture) when children were 3 years old (i.e., Wave 4; W4) informed mothers' Spanish language use with their children when children were 4 years old (W5) and, in turn, children's subsequent Spanish receptive vocabulary when children were 5 years old (W6). METHOD: The present study included 204 Mexican-origin children (58% male) and their mothers who entered parenthood during adolescence (M = 16.24, SD = .99 at W1). RESULTS: Five mediational processes were significant, such that mothers' higher familism values (i.e., emphasizing family support and obligations), Spanish competency pressure (i.e., stress associated with Spanish language competency), and involvement in U.S. mainstream culture at W4 were associated with mothers' lower Spanish language use with children at W5 and, in turn, children's lower levels of Spanish receptive vocabulary at W6. Mothers' greater involvement in Mexican culture and English competency pressure (i.e., stress associated with English language competency) at W4 were associated with mothers' greater Spanish language use with children at W5 and, in turn, children's greater Spanish receptive vocabulary at W6. Additionally, mothers' greater involvement in U.S. mainstream culture at W4 was directly associated with children's lower Spanish language abilities at W6. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the importance of the family context in Mexican-origin children's Spanish language skills over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Processes underlying Mexican adolescents' sexual behaviors and intentions: Examining the roles of familial cultural values and parental monitoring.

OBJECTIVES: The study examined the associations between familial cultural values of familismo (familism) and respeto (respect), parental monitoring, and Mexican adolescents' sexual behaviors. METHOD: The sample consisted of 1,024 Mexican adolescents (12-18 years) from two urban schools in Puebla, Mexico. RESULTS: Findings indicated that respeto was associated with paternal and maternal monitoring, sexual responsibility, sexual intention, and sexual behavior. Further, through indirect effects, among males, respeto was associated with paternal monitoring, which was, in turn, associated with sexual intentions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the relevance of caregivers and cultural values in Mexican adolescents' sexual health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).