Health risk behaviors and depressive symptoms among Hispanic adolescents: Examining acculturation discrepancies and family functioning. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Drawing from a theory of bicultural family functioning 2 models were tested to examine the longitudinal effects of acculturation-related variables on adolescent health risk behaviors and depressive symptoms (HRB/DS) mediated by caregiver and adolescent reports of family functioning. One model examined the effects of caregiver-adolescent acculturation discrepancies in relation to family functioning and HRB/DS. A second model examined the individual effects of caregiver and adolescent acculturation components in relation to family functioning and HRB/DS. A sample of 302 recently immigrated Hispanic caregiver-child dyads completed measures of Hispanic and U.S. cultural practices, values, and identities at baseline (predictors); measures of family cohesion, family communications, and family involvement 6 months postbaseline (mediators); and only adolescents completed measures of smoking, binge drinking, inconsistent condom use, and depressive symptoms 1 year postbaseline (outcomes). Measures of family cohesion, family communications, and family involvement were used to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis to estimate the fit of a latent construct for family functioning. Key findings indicate that (a) adolescent acculturation components drove the effect of caregiver-adolescent acculturation discrepancies in relation to family functioning; (b) higher levels of adolescent family functioning were associated with less HRB/DS, whereas higher levels of caregiver family functioning were associated with more adolescent HRB/DS; (c) and only adolescent reports of family functioning mediated the effects of acculturation components and caregiver-adolescent acculturation discrepancies on HRB/DS.

published proceedings

  • J Fam Psychol

altmetric score

  • 1

author list (cited authors)

  • Cano, M., Schwartz, S. J., Castillo, L. G., Unger, J. B., Huang, S., Zamboanga, B. L., ... Szapocznik, J.

citation count

  • 33

complete list of authors

  • Cano, Miguel Ángel||Schwartz, Seth J||Castillo, Linda G||Unger, Jennifer B||Huang, Shi||Zamboanga, Byron L||Romero, Andrea J||Lorenzo-Blanco, Elma I||Córdova, David||Des Rosiers, Sabrina E||Lizzi, Karina M||Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes||Soto, Daniel W||Villamar, Juan Andres||Pattarroyo, Monica||Szapocznik, José

publication date

  • March 2016