Guillermo Prado

Nativity and Years in the Receiving Culture as Markers of Acculturation in Ethnic Enclaves

The current study was conducted to ascertain the validity of two commonly used markers of acculturation (nativity and years in the receiving culture) in an enclave context. Relationships between these markers and a bidimensional measure of acculturation were examined in a convenience sample of Hispanic immigrant adolescents and their caregivers in Miami. Nativity was examined using adolescent-reported data; approximately half of the youth were U.S.-born and half foreign-born, but all of the caregivers were foreign-born. Years in the receiving culture was examined using both adolescent and caregiver data. Results indicated that nativity was significantly associated with adoption of receiving-culture practices, with a small to moderate effect size. Years in the receiving culture was significantly associated with adoption of receiving-culture practices only for adolescent girls and for female caregivers who immigrated as youth. Neither nativity nor years in the receiving culture explained even moderate amounts of variance in retention or loss of culture-of-origin practices.

Family Functioning, Identity, and Problem Behavior in Hispanic Immigrant Early Adolescents

The present study investigated the role of identity in the relationship between family functioning and behavior problems in a sample of Hispanic immigrant early adolescents and their families. The sample consisted of 181 Hispanic immigrant adolescents (92 males, 89 females) and their participating caregivers (who were mostly mothers). Identity was measured using adolescent reports, whereas family functioning and early adolescent behavior problems were measured using both adolescent and parent reports. Correlational analyses indicated that previously obtained relationships among family functioning, identity, and behavior problems were replicated in the present sample. Structural equation models indicated that 20% of the relationship between family functioning and behavior problems operated indirectly through identity, and identity confusion partially mediates the relationship between family functioning and early adolescent behavior problems. Implications for intervention are discussed.

A Bidimensional Model of Acculturation for Examining Differences in Family Functioning and Behavior Problems in Hispanic Immigrant Adolescents

This study examined the relationships of adolescent acculturation orientations to adolescent and parent reports of family functioning and behavior problems in a sample of 338 Hispanic families. Acculturation orientations are derived from the model proposed by Berry. Results indicate that integrated adolescents, who both maintain heritage culture practices and adopt receiving culture practices, reported the highest levels of parental involvement, positive parenting, and family support and that assimilated adolescents, who adopt receiving-culture practices and do not retain heritage culture practices, reported the greatest levels of aggressive behavior. Implications for intervention, as well as benefits of using a bidimensional model to evaluate the relationships of acculturation to individual and family functioning, are discussed.

The role of ecodevelopmental context and self-concept in depressive and externalizing symptoms in Hispanic adolescents:

The present study examined the extent to which self-concept is related to depressive and externalizing symptoms in Hispanic adolescents, in the presence of contextual variables. A sample of 167 Hispanic adolescents and their primary caregivers completed measures of family functioning, and of school bonding and competence. Adolescents completed measures of self-concept and peer antisocial behavior. Reports of depressive symptoms were gathered from adolescents only, whereas reports of externalizing symptoms were gathered from both adolescents and parents. Self-concept was directly and negatively related to adolescent reports of both depressive and externalizing symptoms, but not to parent reports of externalizing problems. The relationships of school bonding and peer antisocial behavior to adolescent-reported adjustment appeared to operate through self-concept, and the strong bivariate relationships of adolescent-reported family functioning to adolescent-reported adjustment appeared to operate through school bonding and self-concept. Implications for further research and for intervention are discussed.

Cruising in Cyber Space: Comparing Internet Chat Room versus Community Venues for Recruiting Hispanic men Who Have Sex with Men to Participate in Prevention Studies

SUMMARY Difficulties with recruitment of hidden populations, such as Hispanic men who have sex with men (MSM), have hampered HIV prevention research, leading researchers to explore alternative recruitment modalities such as the Internet. In this paper, we compare the efficiency and cost of recruiting HMSM from Internet chat rooms versus community venues and examine the differences between participants recruited from each type of venue. Internet recruitment was more efficient and somewhat less costly than community recruitment. Although the two groups were comparable in most demographic factors and HIV risk behaviors, Internet recruits were more likely to be bisexual, more likely to be HIV seropositive, had a higher level of education, and reported higher levels of psychological distress and lower levels of gay community attachment. Implications of our findings for using Internet chatrooms as recruitment venues are discussed.

Negative effects on family functioning from psychosocial treatments : A recommendation for expanded safety monitoring

Whereas biomedical products are required to be tested for safety with respect to vulnerable organ systems, psychosocial treatments are not required to be tested for safety with respect to vulnerable social systems such as the family. This article provides some evidence for the need to document the potential negative effects of psychosocial treatments on family-level outcomes. Three randomized controlled trials are reviewed in which independent ratings or self-reports of family functioning were measured. Each of the 3 studies compared the efficacy of a family and a nonfamily treatment. Totally unexpectedly, the nonfamily treatment in each of the 3 trials demonstrated significant declines in family functioning. The authors suggest that psychosocial treatments with vulnerable populations have the potential to produce negative side effects on families. Therefore, it is important to conduct further research to determine whether safety studies should be required for psychosocial treatments.

Parent-centered intervention: A practical approach for preventing drug abuse in hispanic adolescents

Objective: The objective of the present article is to review and discuss Familias Unidas, an empirically supported, family-based, culturally specific drug abuse and HIV prevention intervention for Hispanic immigrant adolescents and their families. Method: The authors focus on engagement and retention as well as on intervention delivery. Conclusions: The present article serves as a guide for social workers and mental health practitioners in carrying out effective family-based adolescent substance use and HIV preventive interventions. Recommendations for and challenges to implementing the intervention in practice-based settings are discussed.

Family-Based HIV Prevention with African American and Hispanic Youth

This chapter provides an overview of the HIV literature on African American and Hispanic adolescents in three areas: prevalence, etiology, and family-based preventive interventions. An extant research indicates that African American and Hispanic adolescents are at particularly high risk of engaging in HIV risky sexual behaviors. Culture and family processes play a salient role in the prevention of HIV risky sexual behaviors among both African Americans and Hispanics. Despite the elevated rates of HIV risky sexual behaviors and the importance of culture and family, there is a dearth of culturally specific family interventions designed to prevent HIV among these populations. The chapter also provides an overview of efficacious culturally specific family-based HIV preventive intervention for these populations and highlights some considerations for those interested in conducting family-based HIV prevention work with African American and Hispanic adolescents.

Prospective Association Between Dieting and Smoking Initiation Among Adolescents

Purpose. To examine the relation between dieting and smoking initiation among adolescents. Design. Prospective data from a nationally representative study were used. Setting. Two waves (1994 to 1996) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Subjects. The sample included 7795 non-Latino Caucasian and non-Latino African-American adolescents. Measures. Dieting status was the independent variable and trying smoking and initiation of regular smoking were the dependent variables. Covariates included age, ethnicity, overweight status, false self-perception about being overweight, and availability of cigarettes at home. Analysis. Logistic regression and latent transition analyses were used. Results. Females had a higher prevalence of dieting (55%) when compared with males (25%). Dieting initiation was a significant predictor for initiation of regular smoking among females (OR = 1.94, p = .010), but not among males. Inactive dieting was a significant predictor among males (OR = 1.74, p = .031), but not among females. Compared to nondieters, initiating and consistent female dieters reported a higher probability of trans itioning to having tried regular smoking, although results from logistic regression suggested that the association between consistent dieting and initiation of regular smoking was not significant. Conclusions. There is a positive relation between initiating dieting and initiating regular smoking among females, but among males it is the inactive dieters who show a positive relationship. Results illustrate the importance of examining the association between dieting and the initiation of regular smoking.