Understanding adjustment profiles among Mexican-origin adolescents over time: A focus on cultural risk and resilience factors.

This study used a three-wave longitudinal dataset to: identify adjustment profiles of U.S. Mexican-origin adolescents based on their physical, academic, and psychosocial health adjustment; track adjustment profile changes throughout adolescence; and examine the associations between cultural stressors, family obligation, and adjustment profile membership over time. Participants were 604 Mexican-origin adolescents (54% female, Mage = 12.41, SD = 0.97) in Texas (Wave 1: 2012-2015; Wave 2: 2013-2016; Wave 3: 2017-2020). Three concurrent profiles (Well-adjusted, Moderate, and Poorly-adjusted) emerged at each wave, whereas three transition profiles (Improved, Stable well-adjusted, and Overall poorly-adjusted) were identified across three waves. The results suggest that cultural stressors pose risks for Mexican-origin adolescents' adjustment, and family obligation values play a protective role in these associations.

Intermediary processes in Hispanic/Latinx/o youths' coping responses to cultural stressors.

Cultural stressors related to racism, xenophobia, and navigating bicultural contexts can compromise the healthy development of Hispanic/Latinx/o (H/L) youth. Youth' coping can minimize the adverse impact of this stress. Less is known about the intermediary processes related to youths' cultural stressor experiences and coping responses. We analyzed focus group data from H/L youth (N = 45; 50% girls; 0% nonbinary; Mage = 15.3) to hear their voices on how they interpret, react to, are impacted by and cope with cultural stressors. Using a Grounded Theory approach, we constructed four themes of intermediary processes (e.g., meaning making) and four themes of coping (e.g., distancing oneself). Youth actively processed their experiences, which informed their coping choices, pointing to youths' agency and resilience.

Disentangling the directionality among cultural stressors and psychosocial outcomes in recently immigrated Hispanic families: A random intercept cross-lagged panel model approach.

Research shows the impact of cultural stressors (e.g. perceived discrimination, bicultural stressors, negative context of reception) on adolescents' psychosocial outcomes. Given the presence of multiple cultural stressors in many Hispanic adolescents' lives, it is essential to examine the (a) developmental sequencing of cultural stressors among recent immigrant youth and (b) predictive effects of cultural stressors on adolescents' psychosocial outcomes. We employed a random intercept cross-lagged panel model to examine the longitudinal interplay among cultural stressors and their effects on youth outcomes using longitudinal data with six waves among 302 recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents (47% girls, Mage = 14.51, SD = .88). We observed bidirectional within-person relations and between-person associations among cultural stressors. At the within-person level, bidirectional cross-lagged effects emerged between perceived discrimination and bicultural stress, between perceived discrimination and negative context of reception, and between negative context of reception and bicultural stress. At the between-person level, bidirectional cross-lagged effects emerged only between perceived discrimination and bicultural stressors. Our findings indicate that cultural stressors explain heterogeneity in psychosocial outcomes: self-esteem was inversely predicted by all cultural stressors, whereas depressive symptoms were predicted only by perceived discrimination. In addition, optimism was predicted only by bicultural stressors, and externalizing behavior was predicted by both bicultural stressors and perceived discrimination. These results suggest that the longitudinal relationships among cultural stressors are (partly) bidirectional. Additionally, cultural stressors demonstrated differential predictive effects on psychosocial outcomes, indicating the added value of considering multiple cultural stressors and their longitudinal effects on adolescents' psychosocial outcomes.

Latinx/Hispanic youths' experiences of cultural stressors, emotional reactions, and coping within the family context.

OBJECTIVES: This qualitative investigation examined how Latinx/Hispanic youth experience cultural stressors, emotionally react to, and cope with these stressors within the family context. METHOD: Forty-five youth participated in six focus groups (51% female; 49% male; 0% nonbinary; Mage = 15.26; SD = 0.79). RESULTS: Using reflexive thematic analysis, we constructed two themes with four accompanying subthemes centering on (a) observing family members experience cultural stressors and (b) experiencing cultural stressors together with family members. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the need for cultural stress theory to focus on the family context in Latinx/Hispanic youths' experiences of cultural stressors, their emotional reactions and coping responses to these stressors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Alcohol Use Severity among Hispanic Emerging Adults: Examining Intragroup Marginalization, Bicultural Self-Efficacy, and the Role of Gender within a Stress and Coping Framework.

Most research on cultural stressors and alcohol has focused on intercultural stressors. Continuing to exclude intracultural stressors (e.g., intragroup marginalization) from alcohol research will yield a biased understanding of the experiences of Hispanics living in a bicultural society. As we amass more studies on intracultural stressors, research will be needed to identify mutable sociocultural factors that may mitigate the association between intracultural stressors and alcohol. To address these limitations, we examined the association between intragroup marginalization and alcohol use severity and the extent to which gender and bicultural self-efficacy may moderate this association. A convenience sample of 200 Hispanic emerging adults ages 18-25 (men = 101, women = 99) from Arizona (n = 99) and Florida (n = 101) completed a cross-sectional survey. Data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses. Higher intragroup marginalization was associated with higher alcohol use severity. Gender functioned as a moderator whereby intragroup marginalization was associated with higher alcohol use severity among men, but not women. Also, higher social groundedness functioned as a moderator that weakened the association between intragroup marginalization and alcohol use severity. Role repertoire did not function as a moderator. Our findings are significant because they enhance the reliability of the association between intragroup marginalization and alcohol use severity, and the moderating effect of gender in this respective association. This emerging line of research suggests that alcohol interventions targeting Hispanics may have a significant limitation by not accounting for intracultural stressors.

Distinct co-occurrence patterns of acculturation and perceived context of reception between weekdays and weekends among Hispanic college students.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to examine distinct co-occurrence patterns of acculturation and perceived context of reception between weekdays and weekends among Hispanic college students in Miami and their influences on psychosocial maladaptation. METHODS: We conducted a 12-day diary study with a sample of first- and second-generation Hispanic college students in Miami (n = 864). Depressive symptoms and physically aggressive behaviors were assessed on Days 1 and 12, and acculturation components and perceived negative context of reception were measured using single items on Days 2-11. We examined the overlap between weekday and weekend patterns of acculturation and negative context of reception, as well as links of this overlap with depressive symptoms and with physically aggressive behaviors. RESULTS: Overall, six distinct co-occurrence patterns of acculturation and perceived contexts of reception emerged from the analysis. Four of these appeared to represent stable co-occurrence patterns regardless of weekdays and weekends and two indicated changing co-occurrence patterns between weekdays and weekends. Students in patterns of the Moderate Biculturalism-High Negative Context of Reception regardless of weekdays and weekends reported high depressive symptoms and physically aggressive behaviors. Also, for the two changing co-occurrence patterns, students in patterns of the Changes in both Acculturation and Negative Context of Reception between weekdays and weekends reported high scores on both depressive symptoms and physical aggressive behaviors. CONCLUSION: Both stable and changing patterns in acculturation and context of reception co-occurrences between weekdays and weekends predicted psychosocial maladaptation.

The Association of Ethnic and American Identities with Psychological Well-Being among Latinx Emerging Adults: The Mediating Role of Bicultural Identity Integration.

Latinx emerging adults explore and commit to their ethnic and American identities which may influence their psychological well-being. However, it may not be the act of exploring and committing to their ethnic and American identities that influence emerging adults' psychological well-being; instead, it may be how they integrate both identities. To test this possibility, this study tested whether ethnic and American identity exploration and commitment were associated with psychological well-being by way of two bicultural identity integration processes (i.e., blendedness and harmony) among Latinx emerging adults. Data came from a year-long three-wave longitudinal study about stress and well-being among Latinx first-years (70% female; Mage = 18.20; SD = 0.51) with Wave 1 collected in Fall 2020, Wave 2 in Spring 2021, and Wave 3 in Fall 2021. Cross-sectional and longitudinal structural equation modeling suggest ethnic identity exploration and American identity commitment to be associated with psychological well-being by way of bicultural identity integration blendedness (i.e., perceived cognitive overlap between identities) and harmony (i.e., perceived affective conflict between identities). Results point to ethnic and American identity exploration and commitment being related with blendedness and harmony, which, in turn, were related with psychological well-being in the moment but not over time.

Longitudinal change in adolescent hope among recent immigrant Latinx adolescents: Links with adolescent and parent cultural stress, family functioning, emotional well-being, and behavioral health.

Adolescent hope can promote the emotional and behavioral well-being of Latinx families. Positive family functioning may foster adolescent hope, whereas cultural stress may compromise adolescent hope and well-being. We examined how adolescent hope changed over time, and whether cultural stress and family functioning predicted emotional and behavioral health via adolescent hope intercept and slope. Recent Latinx immigrant adolescents (Mage  = 14.51) and parents (Mage  = 41.09; N = 302; n = 150 from Los Angeles; n = 152 from Miami) completed measures of above constructs over 3 years (Summer 2010 to Spring 2013). Latent growth curve modeling indicated that adolescent hope increased over time. Higher cultural stress predicted lower initial hope. Higher family functioning predicted higher initial levels of and less steep increase in hope. Increase in hope predicted better emotional and behavioral health. Family functioning predicted better health outcomes by way of hope.

Cultural stress, daily well-being, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms among Hispanic college students.

The present study was designed to examine the extent to which, in a sample of 873 Hispanic college students, daily levels of, and variability in, well-being would mediate the predictive effects of culturally related stressors (discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress) on internalizing and externalizing symptoms 11 days later. A 12-day daily diary design was utilized, where reports of cultural stressors were gathered on Day 1, daily well-being reports were gathered on Days 2-11, and outcomes were measured on Day 12 (with controls for Day 1 levels of these same outcomes). Structural equation modeling results indicated that daily means of, and variability in, well-being significantly mediated the predictive effect of Day 1 ethnic/racial discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress on Day 12 symptoms of anxiety and depression. No effects emerged for externalizing symptoms. When we decomposed the latent well-being variability construct into its component indicators (self-esteem, life satisfaction, psychological well-being/self-acceptance, and eudaimonic well-being), daily variability in life satisfaction and self-acceptance appeared to be primarily responsible for the mediated predictive effects we observed. These results are discussed in terms of implications for further research, for counseling practice, and for the development of more inclusive university practices and policies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Do Mothers' Experiences Count? An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model of Language Brokering Experiences in Mexican Immigrant Families.

Language brokering is a shared parent-child experience with implications for parent-child relationships and, in turn, individuals' psychological well-being; however, few studies recognize the role of parents. This study took a dyadic approach to investigate the association between brokering experiences and internalizing symptoms, and the mediating role of parent-child alienation. Participants were 604 Mexican-origin adolescents (54% female, Mage = 12.41) and their mothers (N = 595). Both adolescents' and their mothers' brokering experiences were related to their own internalizing symptoms via their self-reported parent-child alienation. Mothers' brokering experiences also affected adolescents so that when mothers experienced more negative brokering experiences, adolescents perceived greater parent-child alienation, and in turn more internalizing symptoms, suggesting the necessity of considering language brokering's influence on members involved as a dyadic process.

Directional Effects in Cultural Identity: A Family Systems Approach for Immigrant Latinx Families.

Although there is a substantial body of work focusing on the processes underlying cultural identity in general, less is known regarding how these processes might operate within the context of Latinx families. Moreover, among the limited research that has included the adolescent and caregiver cultural identity, most of the research has primarily focused on how caregivers influence their adolescent's cultural identity. In the present study, the directional pathways between recently immigrated adolescents' and caregivers' ethnic and U.S. identity belonging were examined using data from a longitudinal study of acculturation and identity development among recently arrived Latinx immigrant families. The sample consisted of 302 primary caregivers (Mage = 41.09, SD = 7.13 at baseline; 67.5% mothers) and their adolescents (Mage = 14.51, SD = 0.88 at baseline; 46.7% female). The results indicated that caregivers' ethnic identity belonging significantly predicted adolescents' ethnic identity belonging over time. At the same time, adolescents' ethnic identity negatively predicted caregivers' ethnic identity belonging over time, whereas adolescents' U.S. identity belonging positively predicted caregivers' later ethnic identity belonging. The findings indicate that immigrant caregivers may retain their native culture to direct and respond to their children's changing cultural identifications.

Acculturation Trajectories Differ by Youth Age at Arrival and Time in Residency among Latino Immigrant Families in a US Emerging Immigrant Context.

The present study was designed to examine acculturation trajectories of first-generation, Latino immigrant youth and their parents in an emerging immigrant context. We also examined whether acculturation trajectories differed between families with youth who migrated at different stages of development and who have spent differential amounts of time in the United States (US). A community sample of 217 immigrant families in western Oregon was purposely sampled according to youths' age at arrival and time in US residency (TR) and assessed three times over a 3-year period. Families were stratified into three TR groups: TR1 = 2-4 years spent in the US; TR2 = 6-8 years spent in the US; and TR3 = 10-12 years. Parents and youth in each TR group completed measures assessing their acculturation to US American and Latino culture. Results from multiple-group latent growth models showed that acculturation trajectories differed for both youth and parents depending on the TR group. Moreover, both youth and their parents within each TR group differed in their acculturation trajectories. Overall, although youth slowly gravitated toward biculturalism over time, their parents remained relatively separated such that they reported high endorsement of their heritage culture and low endorsement of US culture over time. Findings are discussed in terms of prior research and theory.

Dynamic Transition Patterns in Acculturation Among Hispanic Adolescents.

Acculturation consists of multiple domains (i.e., cultural practices, identifications, and values). However, less is known about how acculturation processes influence each other across multiple domains of acculturation. This study was designed to investigate transition patterns of acculturative processes within and across domains in a sample of 302 recent-immigrant Hispanic adolescents, Mage (SD) = 14.51 years (0.88) at baseline; male = 53%). Adolescents were assessed six times over a 3-year period. Latent profile analyses identified two profiles (high [or increasing] vs. low) for each domain at each timepoint. We found largely stable transition patterns in each domain over six timepoints. Importantly, sequential associations among profiles in acculturation domains were also detected. Implication for acculturation theory and research are discussed.

Alcohol use severity, depressive symptoms, and optimism among Hispanics: Examining the immigrant paradox in a serial mediation model.

OBJECTIVE: Hispanic immigrants exhibit more positive outcomes than U.S.-born Hispanics across educational, psychological, and physical health indices, a phenomenon called the immigrant paradox. We examined the immigrant paradox in relation to alcohol use severity among Hispanic young adults while considering both positive (optimism) and negative (depressive symptoms) processes. METHOD: Among 200 immigrant and U.S.-born Hispanic young adults (Mage = 21.30; 49% male) in Arizona and Florida, we tested whether optimism and depressive symptoms statistically mediated the relationship between nativity and alcohol use severity. Specifically, we examined whether Hispanic immigrants reported greater optimism than their U.S.-born counterparts, and whether such optimism was, in turn, associated with less depressive symptoms and thus lower alcohol use severity. RESULTS: Indirect effects were significant in hypothesized directions (nativity → optimism → depressive symptoms → alcohol use severity). CONCLUSIONS: Both positive and negative psychological processes are important to consider when accounting for the immigrant paradox vis-à-vis alcohol use severity among Hispanic young adults.

Longitudinal Trajectories of Family Functioning Among Recent Immigrant Adolescents and Parents: Links With Adolescent and Parent Cultural Stress, Emotional Well-Being, and Behavioral Health.

This study examined longitudinal effects of adolescent and parent cultural stress on adolescent and parent emotional well-being and health behaviors via trajectories of adolescent and parent family functioning. Recent immigrant Latino adolescents (Mage  = 14.51) and parents (Mage  = 41.09; N = 302) completed measures of these constructs. Latent growth modeling indicated that adolescent and parent family functioning remained stable over time. Early levels of family functioning predicted adolescent and parent outcomes. Baseline adolescent cultural stress predicted lower positive adolescent and parent family functioning. Latent class growth analyses produced a two-class solution for family functioning. Adolescents and parents in the low family functioning class reported low family functioning over time. Adolescents and parents in the high family functioning class experienced increases in family functioning.

The use of cultural identity in predicting health lifestyle behaviors in Latinx immigrant adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: This study explored whether cultural identity predicts health lifestyle behaviors. METHOD: Participants included 302 recently immigrated (<5 years in the U.S.) Latinx adolescents (53% boys; mean age 14.51 years at baseline) from Miami and Los Angeles. Participants completed cultural identity measures at baseline and 1-year post baseline. A path analysis was used to estimate associations between cultural identities (ethnic, national, and bicultural) and health lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, diet, and sleep hygiene). RESULTS: Ethnic identity positively predicted diet. Results also indicated a significant interaction between ethnic and national identity on sleep hygiene. Specifically, when national identity was high (+1 SD), ethnic identity positively predicted sleep hygiene. CONCLUSION: This study focuses on health lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity, diet, and sleep hygiene in this population. Results highlight the need to explore the protective nature of cultural identity retention in relation to health lifestyle behaviors in Latinx adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Remote Acculturation and Cigarette Smoking Susceptibility among Youth in Mexico.

Many adolescents in majority world countries emulate U.S. American culture, which can influence their development. Globalization allows adolescents from majority world countries to learn about U.S. American culture through mass media and the exchange of information via the internet and other forms of communication. As such, youth in Mexico may experience remote acculturation, which can influence their smoking behaviors. We developed and tested a measure of remote acculturation (i.e., orientation to U.S. American and Mexican culture) among adolescents in Mexico and examined the association of remote acculturation with adolescents' smoking-related cognitions. Data came from a school-based survey of 5492 never-smoker, urban adolescents (51% female, M age = 14.07 years). Confirmatory factor analyses supported two latent factors-one for U.S. American and another for Mexican cultural orientation. Structural equation models revealed that stronger Mexican cultural orientation was associated with lower positive smoking-related attitudes, which were related with lower smoking susceptibility. Consistent with research on acculturation among U.S. Hispanic youth, findings indicate that stronger orientation toward U.S. culture may put adolescents in Mexico at risk for cigarette smoking, while greater orientation toward Mexican culture may prevent youth smoking in Mexico. We discuss directions for future research and policymaking strategies to prevent youth smoking in Mexico.

Cultural Stress, Emotional well-being, and Health Risk Behaviors among Recent Immigrant Latinx families: The Moderating Role of Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics.

Latinx families can experience cultural stressors, which can negatively influence their emotional and behavioral health. Few studies have examined if perceived neighborhood characteristics buffer against or exacerbate the negative effects of cultural stress on adolescent and parent health outcomes. To address this gap in the literature, this study investigated how parent (social cohesion, informal social control, extent of problems) and adolescent (support) perceived neighborhood factors moderated the associations of parent and adolescent cultural stress with parent and adolescent emotional and behavioral well-being. Data came from waves 1 and 3 of a six-wave longitudinal survey with 302 recent immigrant Latinx adolescents (47% female, Mage = 14.51 years) and their parents (74% mothers, Mage = 41.09 years). Results indicated that when parents reported low levels of neighborhood problems, adolescent cultural stress did not predict adolescent health risk behaviors. However, adolescent and parent cultural stress predicted higher levels of adolescents' sense of hope when parents perceived low levels of neighborhood problems. Furthermore, adolescent and parent cultural stress predicted higher youth depressive symptoms and health risk behaviors when positive neighborhood factors (informal social control, social cohesion) were high. Similarly, adolescent and parent cultural stress predicted lower adolescents' sense of hope and self-esteem when positive neighborhood factors were high. These findings indicate that efforts to reduce the negative effects of cultural stress on youth emotional and behavioral health may benefit from combating neighborhood problems. Results further indicate that research is needed to clarify unexpected findings. Directions for future research are discussed.

Examining the Directionality Between Identity Development and Depressive Symptoms Among Recently Immigrated Hispanic Adolescents.

Although personal identity development has been conceptualized as a source of psychological stability and protective against depressive symptoms among Hispanic immigrants, there remains ambiguity regarding the directional relationship between identity development and depression. To address this limitation, the current study sought to establish directionality between identity development and depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 302 recent (<5 years) immigrant Hispanic adolescents (53.3% boys; Mage = 14.51 years at baseline; SD = 0.88 years) from Miami and Los Angeles who participated in a longitudinal study. The findings suggested a bidirectional relationship between identity and depressive symptoms such that identity coherence negatively predicted depressive symptoms, yet depressive symptoms also negatively predicted coherence and positively predicted subsequent identity confusion. Findings not only provide further evidence for the protective role of identity development during times of acute cultural transitions, but also emphasize the need for research to examine how depressive symptoms, and psychopathology more broadly, may interfere with establishing a sense of self.

Biculturalism dynamics: A daily diary study of bicultural identity and psychosocial functioning.

We examined two conceptualizations of bicultural identity - the Bicultural Identity Integration (BII) framework (cultural identity blendedness-distance and harmony-conflict) and cultural hybridizing and alternating (mixing one's two cultural identities and/or switching between them). Utilizing data from a 12-day diary study with 873 Hispanic college students, we examined three research questions: (1) cross-sectional and longitudinal inter-correlations among these biculturalism components, (2) links among daily variability in these biculturalism components, and (3) how this daily variability predicts well-being and mental health outcomes over time. Bicultural hybridizing was positively related to, and longitudinally predicted by, both BII blendedness and harmony. Daily fluctuation scores for BII blendedness, BII harmony, and bicultural hybridizing were strongly interrelated. Well-being was negatively predicted by fluctuations in hybridizing, whereas internalizing symptoms were positively predicted by fluctuations in blendedness. These results are discussed in terms of what biculturalism is and how best to promote it.