Acculturation and suicide-related risk in ethnoracially minoritized youth in the US: a scoping review and content analysis of the empirical evidence.

PURPOSE: Among Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx, and Black youth, the US born have higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (attempts and death-by-suicide) than first-generation migrants. Research has focused on the role of acculturation, defined as the sociocultural and psychological adaptations from navigating multiple cultural environments. METHODS: Using content analysis, we conducted a scoping review on acculturation-related experiences and suicide-related risk in Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx, and Black youth (henceforth described as "ethnoracially minoritized adolescents"), identifying 27 empirical articles in 2005-2022. RESULTS: Findings were mixed: 19 articles found a positive association between acculturation and higher risk for suicide ideation and attempts, namely when assessed as acculturative stress; 3 articles a negative association; and 5 articles no association. Most of the research, however, was cross-sectional, largely focused on Hispanic/Latinx youth, relied on demographic variables or acculturation-related constructs as proxies for acculturation, used single-item assessments for suicide risk, and employed non-random sampling strategies. Although few articles discussed the role of gender, none discussed the intersections of race, sexual orientation, or other social identities on acculturation. CONCLUSION: Without a more developmental approach and systematic application of an intersectional research framework that accounts for racialized experiences, the mechanisms by which acculturation may influence the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior remain unclear, resulting in a dearth of culturally responsive suicide-prevention strategies among migrant and ethnoracially minoritized youth.

Profiles of acculturative strategies and cultural stressors among Hispanic/Latinx college-attending emerging adults.

OBJECTIVE: The present study identified unique profiles of cultural stressors (i.e., bicultural stress, discrimination, and negative context of reception) and acculturative strategies (i.e., heritage practices, heritage identification, U.S. practices, and U.S. identification), in Hispanic/Latinx (HL) emerging adults. Additionally, we examined associations between positive and negative psychosocial functioning, with profiles of acculturative strategies and cultural stressors. METHOD: The present study utilized a baseline sample of 779 HL college students (75.8% female, Mage = 20.80 years, SD = 2.66) drawn from a daily diary study on acculturation. RESULTS: Latent profile analysis identified four distinct profiles. The Bicultural and Low Cultural Stressors (B-LowCS; 53.55%) was marked by strong heritage and U.S. cultural orientation and low levels across all cultural stressors. The Marginalization and High Acculturative Stressors (M-HighAS; 20.13%) was marked by weak heritage and U.S. cultural orientation, high acculturative stressors, and low discrimination. The third profile, the Heritage Rejection and Low Cultural Stressors (HR-LowCS; 16.05%) was marked by rejection of heritage culture and low cultural stressors. Finally, the Separation and High Cultural Stressors (S-HighCS; 10.26%) was marked by weak U.S. cultural orientation and high cultural stressors. Consistent with past research, the B-LowCS profile was marked by the highest level of positive psychosocial functioning and the lowest levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study highlight the usefulness of person-centered approaches for understanding the interplay between acculturative strategies and cultural stressors, and the implications of these distinct profiles on psychosocial functioning in HL emerging adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

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.

"I Just Want to Be Me, Authentically": Identity Shifting Among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Young Adults.

Identity shifting represents a common but complex social, behavioral, and cognitive phenomenon. However, some forms of identity shifting originate in response to structural, institutional, and interpersonal marginalization enacted on lower status groups, such as people of color in the United States. The current study investigated ways young adults from diverse ethnic/racial groups discussed shifting to fit in with White Americans (a dominant group) in the United States and their own ethnic/racial group (a minoritized group) and elucidated self-reported motivations for shifting. Participants consisted of 764 young adults (ages = 18-23) recruited from two large public universities in the Southeast and Southwest regions of the United States. The majority of participants identified as Black/African American (41%), Asian/Asian American (27%), or Hispanic/Latinx (22%). Analysis of participants' qualitative responses identified six types of shifts and two motivations for shifting. The shifts included: behavioral, linguistic, cognitive, physical, food, and affect. Motivations for shifting focused on avoiding risks and obtaining rewards. The discussion offers interpretation of the results and recommendations for future research on identity shifting.

Cultural Identity Configurations: A Latent Profile Analysis of Ethnic/Racial and U.S. Identity Process and Content.

Cultural identity, which represents the degree to which individuals define themselves with the cultural groups to which they belong, is a particularly salient developmental task for ethnic/racial minoritized youth. Two important identity domains of cultural identity, ethnic-racial and U.S. identity, have been consistently associated with psychological and academic adjustment. That said, the majority of this research has been variable centered, limiting the capacity to understand the specific developmental configurations of ethnic/racial and U.S. identity. Addressing this gap, the current study utilized latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify unique profiles of ethnic/racial identity and U.S. identity across process and content dimensions among a sample of 376 Hispanic/Latinx college students (Mage = 20.58, SD = 2.69) and examine the separate and joint links between ethnic/racial and U.S. identity profile membership and adjustment. The LPA identified three similar profiles for ethnic/racial identity (i.e., Diffused/Negative, Diffused/Neutral, and Developed/Positive), U.S. identity (Diffused/Negative, Diffused/Positive, and Developed/Positive), and ethnic/racial and U.S. identity (i.e., Diffused/Negative, Diffused/Neutral, and Bicultural), highlighting that ethnic/racial and U.S. identity not only share parallel dimensionality but manifest themselves remarkably similar in their configuration across process and content dimensions. Separately, individuals classified in a Developed/Positive profile reported the highest levels of adjustment. Jointly, individuals classified as Bicultural (60.49%) exhibited the highest levels of adjustment. The findings highlight the benefit of a positive bicultural identity that embraces both domains of cultural identity.

Cultural Stress Profiles: Describing Different Typologies of Migration Related and Cultural Stressors among Hispanic or Latino Youth.

Youth of immigrant origin vary across their families' migration history (e.g., country of heritage, reasons for migration, etc.) and in the communities in which they reside. As such, these youth are often faced with different cultural and immigrant stressors. Although prior research documented the detrimental impact of cultural and immigrant stressors, variable-centered approaches fail to account for the fact that these stressors often co-occur. Addressing this gap, the current study identified typologies of cultural stressors in Hispanic/Latino adolescents using latent profile analysis. Cultural stress profiles were derived using socio-political stress, language brokering, in-group identity threats, and within-group discrimination as indicators. The study was conducted in two sites (Los Angeles and Miami; total N = 306) during Spring and Summer 2020. A four-profile solution was identified: Low Cultural Stress (n = 94, 30.7%), Sociopolitical and Language Brokering Stress (n = 147, 48%), Sociopolitical and In-group Identity Threat Stress (n = 48, 15.7%), and Higher Stress (n = 17, 5.6%). Results indicate that profiles with stress were characterized by worse mental health symptoms, reporting higher means of depression, stress, and lower self-esteem, as well as by higher heritage cultural orientation compared to the low stress profile. Interventions designed to mitigate the deleterious effects of cultural stressors would benefit from adopting an individualized, tailored approach that addresses youth's stress profile membership.

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).

The Ethnic Identity Scale: Affirmation, really?

OBJECTIVE: The Ethnic Identity Scale (EIS) was developed to distinguish between process and content components of ethnic-racial identity (ERI). However, the affirmation subscale is composed entirely of negatively worded items, measuring negative feelings about one's ethnic-racial group, rather than positive feelings as widely conceptualized. Addressing this gap, the present study examined the psychometric validity of a revised EIS with positively and negatively worded items to determine whether affirmation is best represented as a unidimensional construct, a bidimensional construct, or a combination of the two. METHOD: The sample consisted of 280 college students (75.5% female; Mage = 20.95 years; SD = 1.98 years). The largest ethnic-racial group consisted of Black or African Americans (68.2%), followed by Asian/Asian Americans (12.1%), Hispanic/Latinos (9.6%), and other ethnic-racial groups (10%). RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence for both unidimensionality and multidimensionality. Indeed, although positively worded and negatively worded items of "affirmation" loaded onto a general factor representing affirmation, there was still a significant amount of variance captured by the negative ERI affect specific factor, indicating the presence of multidimensionality. In addition, results indicated that negative ERI affect, over and above the general ERI affirmation factor, predicted psychosocial functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The present study expands our understanding of the multidimensionality of ERI, highlighting the need for examination of how we measure ERI affect at the very least, and possibly how we conceptualize it within the broader ERI literature. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Military self-stigma as a mediator of the link between military identity and suicide risk.

US military Veterans are at greater risk for suicide than those who have never served in the US military. Recent federal calls include the need to investigate military-specific suicide risk and protective factors among military-affiliated populations. To date, no study has examined the link between military identity, self-stigma, and suicide risk. The current study used a nationally representative sample of post-Vietnam US military Veterans (N = 1,461) in order to determine relationships between military identity, self-stigma, and suicide risk. Idealism (OR = 0.86) with less odds of elevated suicide risk, whereas individualism (OR = 1.15) and military self-stigma (OR = 1.39) were associated with increased odds of elevated suicide risk. Military self-stigma was found to mediate the relationship between military identity components and suicide risk. Implications for conceptualization of military Veteran identity, suicide prevention, and future research are discussed.

Toward a micro-level perspective on acculturation among U.S. Hispanic college students: A daily diary study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study introduces a daily, micro-level perspective on acculturation using a sample of Hispanic college students in Miami. METHODS: We conducted a 12-day diary study with a sample of first- and second-generation Hispanic college students in Miami. Outcome variables were measured on Days 1 and 12, and acculturation components (practices, identities, and values) were measured on Days 2-11. Daily fluctuations in acculturation components between Days 2 and 11 were examined as predictors of well-being, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing problems on Day 12. RESULTS: Fluctuations in comfort with speaking English negatively predicted three of the four well-being outcomes and positively predicted all of the internalizing and externalizing indicators. Fluctuations in collectivist values predicted two of the well-being outcomes and both anxiety and depressive symptoms, and fluctuations in ethnic identity predicted anxiety and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Daily volatility in comfort with English, collectivist values, and ethnic identity appear to be most distressing.

Dimensions of Athletic Identity and their Associations with Drinking Behaviors among a National Sample of University Athletes in the United States.

Although prior studies have indicated athletic identity plays a role in alcohol use among college athletes, this research has largely drawn on a unidimensional conceptualization. Addressing this gap, the current study utilized a sample of 8,550 university athletes (Mage = 19.70 years, SD = 1.33, 50.8% men) from 203 U.S. post-secondary institutions to examine the associations between athletic identity dimensions (i.e., social identification, negative affectivity, and exclusivity) and alcohol use for athletes across gender, sport type, and division. The results indicated that negative affectivity and social identification were associated with higher levels of alcohol use, whereas exclusivity was associated with lower levels of alcohol use. Further, the association between dimensions of athletic identity and alcohol use varied across competitive level (i.e., Division I, II, and III). The findings implicate the need for (a) future research to approach athletic identity as a multidimensional concept when examining its association with alcohol use outcomes, and (b) post-secondary alcohol prevention professionals to integrate dimensions of athletic identity in alcohol prevention approaches.

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.

Brief Underage Alcohol Use Screener Scores Predict Health Risk Behaviors.

The aim of this study was to determine if adolescents' scores on a 2-item underage alcohol use screener predict risky consequences of past-year alcohol use and other health risk behaviors in a nonclinical, school-based sample of adolescents. A predominantly minority sample of 756 middle and high school students completed in-school tablet-based surveys on past-year underage alcohol use and a range of health risk behaviors. Higher scores for self alcohol risk and peer alcohol risk were associated with higher risk of past-year riding with a drunk driver and past 90-day measures of cigarette use, marijuana use, unplanned sex, and unprotected intercourse. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Brief Alcohol Screener is a useful tool for school-based service providers, including school nurses, to identify and address the needs of adolescents at high risk of the development of alcohol use disorders, as well as a range of preventable health risk behaviors.

Cultural Stress in the Age of Mass Xenophobia: Perspectives from Latin/o Adolescents.

During the last four years, xenophobic rhetoric directed toward Latino immigrants in U.S. media outlets and political forums has greatly increased. Using a general inductive approach, this qualitative study examined the forms of cultural stress, with a focus on discrimination and xenophobia, experienced by Latino adolescents in urban U.S. settings in 2018 and 2019. Six focus groups were conducted in Miami and Los Angeles (three groups per city) with first- and second-generation tenth-grade Latino students (n = 34). The following four themes emerged from the data: perceived discrimination from other Latino subgroups (in-group discrimination), perceived discrimination from non-Latino groups (out-group discrimination), internalization of stressors and discrimination experienced by participants' parents, and the current U.S. political rhetoric surrounding immigration. Understanding cultural stress among Latino adolescents provides valuable insight for future interventions to offset negative health outcomes associated with cultural stress.

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.

The role of United States identity in adjustment among Veterans.

Given over 2.77 million US service members have been deployed in the past 20 years and the intense process of reintegration to civilian life, understanding factors that contribute to Veterans' mental health and substance use is critical. This study sought to understand the effects of US identity exploration, US identity commitment, US identity affirmation, and US identity centrality on substance use and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The sample consisted of 195 US military Veterans (n = 184, 53.3% women; 73.3% White; Mage = 35.12 years, SD = 9.60 years). Bivariate correlations indicated US identity affirmation was negatively associated with substance use and symptoms of depression and anxiety whereas US identity centrality was positively correlated with alcohol use. Utilizing structural equation model, US identity affirmation and US identity centrality were, respectively, negatively and positively associated with alcohol use, substance use, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Partially consistent with our hypothesis, US identity exploration was positively associated with symptoms of anxiety. In contrast to our hypothesis, US identity commitment was not significantly associated with any outcome. Results are discussed in terms of important directions for identity research in the transition to civilian life.

Using the NIAAA Brief Alcohol Screener in Social Work Practice for Selected Prevention Targeting Youth.

This article discusses the use of brief screeners in social work practice to identity adolescents in need of selected interventions for alcohol and other drug use problems. Brief screeners can increase access to alcohol or other drug intervention services and promote the diffusion of evidence-based interventions to underserved communities when integrated in Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) initiatives. The two-item NIAAA Brief Alcohol Use Screener is discussed as a developmentally-tailored assessment tool that can be integrated into SBIRT in social work practice to improve detection of early-stage alcohol problems among adolescents who lack routine access to preventative health care. The use of brief, empirically-supported alcohol screeners in trainings for social work students and new professionals can enhance their preparation and competence to offer child and adolescent clients appropriate selected intervention options to reduce harms associated with underage alcohol use.

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.