Chelsea L. Derlan

Longitudinal relations among Mexican-origin mothers' cultural characteristics, cultural socialization, and 5-year-old children's ethnic-racial identification

The current longitudinal study examined the intergenerational transmission of ethnic–racial identity/identification and cultural orientation among Mexican-origin adolescent young mothers and their children (N = 161 dyads). Findings indicated that mothers’ ethnic–racial identity and their cultural involvement were significantly associated with children’s ethnic–racial identification via mothers’ cultural socialization; however, associations varied significantly by children’s gender and skin tone. For example, mothers’ ethnic–racial centrality was positively associated with cultural socialization efforts among mothers with sons (regardless of skin tone); but with daughters, a positive association only emerged among those with lighter skin tones. Associations between cultural socialization and children’s ethnic–racial identification also varied by children’s gender and skin tone. For example, the relation between mothers’ cultural socialization and children’s self-labeling as Mexican was positive for girls regardless of skin tone, and for boys with lighter skin tones, but was not significant for boys with darker skin tones. Findings highlight the critical role of children’s own characteristics, mothers’ ethnic–racial identity and adaptive cultural characteristics, and mothers’ cultural socialization efforts in the formation of young Mexican-origin children’s ethnic–racial identification.

A Prospective Test of the Family Stress Model With Mexican-Origin Adolescent Mothers

The current 6-wave longitudinal study tested the family stress model among 204 Mexican-origin families in which an adolescent pregnancy had occurred. Wave 1 (W1) occurred when adolescents (M age = 16.80 years, SD = 1.00) were pregnant, and the last wave (W6) occurred when children were 5 years of age. In the current study, the family stress model was expanded to include parenting relations among adolescent mothers and fathers, and among adolescent mothers and grandmothers. In support of the family stress model, findings indicated that W1 family income was negatively associated with W6 child internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors via increased W2 economic pressure, increased W3 maternal depressive symptoms, increased W4 mother–grandmother coparenting conflict, and increased W5 maternal parenting hassles. Additionally, W4 mother–father coparenting conflict was positively associated with W6 child internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors via W5 maternal parenting hassles. Findings are discussed with attention to the processes by which family income informs child problem behaviors over time. El presente estudio longitudinal de seis años analizó el family stress model con una muestra de 204 familias de origen mexicano en las cuales había ocurrido un embarazo durante la adolescencia. La primera fase (W1) del estudio se llevó a cabo cuando las adolescentes (M edad = 16.80 años; DE = 1.00) estaban embarazadas, y la última fase (W6) ocurrió cuando sus niños tenían cinco años. En el presente estudio, el family stress model se amplió para incluir variables sobre la copaternidad entre las madres adolescentes y los padres, y entre las madres adolescentes y las abuelas. Los resultados apoyaron las ideas del family stress model; ingreso familiar en W1 mostró un efecto negativo con problemas de comportamiento y problemas de internalización de los niños en W6 a través del aumento de la presión económica en W2, el aumento de síntomas de depresión maternos en W3, el aumento del conflicto de la copaternidad entre madre y abuela en W4, y el aumento de problemas de crianza maternas en W5. Adicionalmente, conflicto de la copaternidad entre la madre y el padre mostró un efecto positivo con problemas de comportamiento y problemas de internalización de los niños en W6 a través de problemas de crianza maternas en W5. Varias ideas se presentan en la Discusión sobre como el ingreso familiar informa el comportamiento problemático en niños a largo plazo.

The Relationship Between Latina/o Youth’s Internal Health Locus of Control, Cultural Factors, and Body Mass Index.

Compared to their peers, Latina/o youth are at high risk of being overweight and obese and experiencing related health problems. Because of this, it is important to identify factors that may contribute to obesity among Latina/o youth. We explored the relationships among internal health locus of control (IHLOC), cultural factors (cultural orientation, ethnic identity), and Latina/o adolescents’ body mass index (BMI; an index of obesity and overweight). One hundred twenty-eight Latina/o adolescents (ages 13–18 years) completed a series of questionnaires to assess ethnic identity (i.e., affirmation-belonging and participation), cultural orientation (i.e., Latina/o cultural orientation and Anglo cultural orientation), and IHLOC. We also obtained participants’ reports of weight and height, which were used to calculate BMI. Results indicated that there was an inverse association between IHLOC and BMI; specifically, the greater internal control the adolescents perceived they had over their health, the lower their BMI. As expected, Latina/o cultural orientation moderated this relation, such that at moderate and high levels of Latina/o cultural orientation, IHLOC was associated with lower BMI. Contrary to expectations, ethnic identity affirmation-belonging moderated this relation in the opposite direction, such that at low and moderate levels of ethnic identity affirmation-belonging, IHLOC was associated with lower BMI. The importance of IHLOC, cultural factors, and context in obesity among Latina/o youth and the implications of these results for obesity intervention programming are discussed. Comparado a sus compañeros, jóvenes Latina/os tienen alto riesgo de estar sobrepeso y obeso y teniendo experiencias relacionadas con problemas de salud. Sigue siendo importante identificar factores que posiblemente contribuyen con la obesidad entre los jóvenes Latina/os. Nosotros exploramos la relaciones entre el locus del control interna de salud (IHLOC), factores culturales (aculturación, identidad étnica), y el índice de masa corporal (IMC: índices entre la obesidad y el sobrepeso) entre los adolescentes Latina/os. 128 adolescentes Latina/os (13–18 años) completaron una serie de cuestionarios para evaluar la identidad étnica (afirmación-que pertenezca y participación), orientación cultural (orientación cultural Latina/o y orientación cultural Anglo), y el IHLOC. Nosotros también obtuvimos reportes de peso y estatura de los participantes, que usamos para calcular el IMC. Resultados indican que hubo una asociación inversa entre el IHLOC y el IMC. Específicamente, adolescentes que tenían más control interna sobre la percepción que tenían sobre su salud, sus IMC eran más bajas. Como era de esperarse, la orientación cultural Latina/o moderaba esta relación, tal cual que niveles moderados y altas de orientación cultural Latina/o, IHLOC estaba asociado con IMC bajos. Contrario a las expectativas, identidad étnica (afirmación-que pertenezca) moderaba esta relación en la dirección contraria, tal cual que niveles bajos o moderados de la identidad ética (afirmación-que pertenezca), IHLOC estaba asociado con IMC bajos. La importancia de IHLOC, factores culturales, y el contexto de la obesidad entre los jóvenes Latina/os, y las implicaciones de estos resultados para una intervención en contra la obesidad serán discutidos.

Cultural Socialization Attitudes and Behaviors: Examining Mothers' Centrality, Discrimination Experiences, and Children's Effortful Control as Moderators

Objectives: The current study examined whether mothers’ cultural socialization attitudes predicted cultural socialization behaviors. In addition, we tested whether this association was moderated by children’s effortful control, mothers’ ethnic–racial centrality, and mothers’ experiences of ethnic discrimination. Method: Mexican-origin young mothers (N = 181; Mage = 20.97 years) completed the Cultural Socialization Attitudes Measure, a revised version of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity, the Child Behavior Questionnaire—Very Short Form, and the Perceived Discrimination Scale during an interview and then completed the Cultural Socialization Behaviors Measure a year later. Results: Findings indicated that mothers’ cultural socialization attitudes when their children were 4 years of age positively predicted their cultural socialization behaviors 1 year later. Furthermore, experiencing higher ethnic discrimination strengthened the association between mothers’ cultural socialization attitudes and behaviors. In addition, mothers’ ethnic–racial centrality and children’s effortful control were positively associated with mothers’ cultural socialization behaviors. Conclusions: These findings contribute to the literature by underscoring the role of individual characteristics and context in cultural socialization efforts with young children over time.

Processes Underlying Mexican-Origin Adolescent Mothers' BMI

Objective: To examine potential mediating and moderating factors in the longitudinal association between contextual stressors (economic hardship, ethnic discrimination) and subsequent engagement in risky behaviors and body mass index (BMI) of Mexican-origin adolescent mothers. Method: Participants were Mexican-origin adolescent mothers (N = 204) who were recruited from community agencies and high schools in a Southwestern metropolitan area. Contextual stressors and risky behaviors were assessed 3 and 4 years postpartum. Adolescent mothers’ BMI was assessed 5-years postpartum. Path analyses assessed moderated mediation with risky behaviors as a mediator of associations between contextual stressors and BMI, and family and friend support as moderators of the mediated pathways. Results: At low levels of family support, economic hardship at 3-years postpartum positively predicted engagement in risky behaviors at 4-years postpartum, which in turn positively predicted BMI at 5-years postpartum. At high levels of family support, all relations were not significant. At low levels of friend support, ethnic discrimination at 3-years postpartum positively predicted engagement in risky behaviors at 4-years postpartum, which in turn positively predicted BMI at 5-years postpartum. At high levels of friend support, all relations were not significant. Conclusions: Among adolescent mothers who receive low levels of family and friend support, engagement in risky behaviors may function as a mechanism through which contextual stressors are linked to adolescent mothers’ BMI. Findings have implications for prevention efforts aimed at attenuating unhealthy weight status among Mexican-origin adolescent mothers by reducing engagement in risky behaviors and bolstering family and friend support.