José A. Cobas

Adolescents’ Perceptions of Parental Behaviors as Predictors of Adolescent Self-Esteem in Mainland China

Parents’ child-rearing behaviors have been identified as major sources of influence on the self-esteem of adolescents from Western societies and Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. The pattern of relationships found in samples of Hong Kong adolescents has been similar to the pattern found among samples of U.S. adolescents, but contrary to what might be expected in collectivistic societies such as mainland China. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to test specific dimensions of parenting behaviors as possible predictors of adolescents’ self-esteem in mainland China. Self-report data were acquired for this study from 480 adolescents who attended secondary schools located in Beijing. Results indicated that patterns of socialization between parents and adolescents in mainland China were similar to those found in the United States, although explanations for these results may differ from those characteristic of the United States and other Western societies. Reasoning, monitoring, and autonomy-granting behavior by Chinese parents were positive predictors, whereas punitiveness was a negative predictor of Chinese adolescents’ self-esteem (both males and females). Contrasting with patterns commonly found in the United States was the finding that parental support was not a predictor of Chinese adolescents’ self-esteem.

Latinos’ mate selection: national origin, racial, and nativity differences

Abstract We use 1990 Census data to examine how mate selection patterns differ by Latinos’ national origin, race, and nativity. We compare their propensity to marry within their own groups, with non-Latino Whites and Blacks and with other Latino Whites and Nonwhites. Latinos’ race plays an important role in assimilation to American society. Latino Whites are more likely than Latino Nonwhites to marry non-Latinos; US-born Latino Whites are more likely than their foreign-born counterparts to marry non-Latino Whites; and US-born Mexican Whites, with a long history in the US, are more likely to intermarry than other US-born Latino Whites. Mate selection patterns of Latino Whites closely follow the predictions of classical assimilation theory. Latino Nonwhites, however, exhibit a different pattern: the US-born are less likely to intermarry than the foreign-born. Racial barrier also is strong within each national-origin group. When Latinos marry outside their own national-origin groups, Whites tend to marry non-Latino Whites, but Nonwhites tend to marry other Latino Nonwhites. This may imply two paths of integration in American society: Latino Whites’ assimilation into American society and Latino Nonwhites’ formation of Latino pan-ethnicity.

Specifying the antecedents of breast-feeding duration in Peru through a structural equation model

OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of socioeconomic status and biocultural variables (planned pregnancy, prenatal care, timing of initiation of breast-feeding and caesarean section delivery) on breast-feeding duration in Peru using structural equation models. DESIGN AND SETTING Structural equation models were analysed with LISREL using data from the 1991-92 Peruvian Demographic and Health Survey. SUBJECTS Models were tested among 6,020 women whose last child was born within 5 years of the survey and among 2,711 women whose last child was born 2-5 years preceding the survey. RESULTS Unplanned pregnancy and socioeconomic status had a negative influence on breast-feeding duration. Prenatal care was positively associated with the timing of breast-feeding initiation in both samples and with breast-feeding duration in the whole sample. The timing of breast-feeding initiation was inversely associated with breast-feeding duration only in the sample of older children. CONCLUSIONS These results imply that an unplanned pregnancy, a delayed breast-feeding initiation, and higher socioeconomic status are risk factors for an earlier discontinuation of breast-feeding through complex mechanisms involving direct and indirect effects.

Parent-Youth Relationships and the Self-Esteem of Chinese Adolescents: Collectivism versus Individualism

Abstract This study sought to determine how several child-rearing behaviors within the Chinese parent-adolescent relationship were predictive of youthful self-esteem through either collectivistic or individualistic socialization approaches. Theoretically based relationships were tested with structural equation modeling to examine whether dimensions of parental behavior (i.e., support, reasoning, monitoring, and punitiveness) influenced the self-esteem of Chinese adolescents through the mediating influences of either conformity (i.e., collectivism) or autonomy (i.e., individualism) in reference to parents. The sample for this study consisted of 497 adolescents from Beijing, China, ranging in age from 12-19 years of age. Data were acquired with self-report questionnaires administered in school classrooms. Results provided support for parental behaviors as predictors of self-esteem development through individualistic patterns of socialization. Although collectivistic parent-adolescent patterns did not predict the self-esteem of Chinese adolescents, several results supported a collectivistic conception of socialization through significant relationships involving parental behaviors as predictors of adolescent conformity to parents. Some results of this study highlight the significance of parental support and dimensions of moderate parental control (e.g., reasoning and monitoring) within the Chinese parent-adolescent relationship, while identifying only a minimal role for punitive behavior.

Language oppression and resistance: the case of middle class latinos in the United States

Abstract The growth of the US latino population is a source of concern for many white Americans, who assert this means the death of the US way of life and the English language. This racialized rhetoric masks an attempt to maintain the pre-eminence of the language of the dominant group over latinos and thus helps whites to sustain their political-economic domination. Using interviews with seventy-two middle-class latinos in seven US states, we document five strategies employed by the whites in everyday interaction to discourage latinos’ heritage language use and resistance to such discrimination. Finally, we discuss ideological elements in US culture that hide the racism in these language struggles.

Ethnic enclaves and middleman minorities: alternative strategies of immigrant adaptation?

Two strategies or modes of immigrant adaptation, ethnic enclaves and middleman minorities, have been treated in the literature as if they were disjointed and discordant. Using data collected in a survey of Cuban exiles in Puerto Rico, this article examines expectations from both modes and concludes that a course of action different from that followed in the literature seems to be more fruitful.

Family Ties, Co-Ethnic Bonds, and Ethnic Entrepreneurship

Past studies have corroborated the hypothesis asserting that family ties and co-ethnic bonds are instrumental in the growth of ethnic enterprise. Many of these studies, however, can be challenged on methodological grounds. This article uses data from two samples of Cuban exiles to test the hypothesis in a manner which addresses the challenges. Results offer minor support for the hypothesis. Because our test has dealt with methodological uncertainties that previous research overlooked, the negative nature of our results raises questions about the explanatory power of the family ties/co-ethnic bond hypothesis.

Overweight among mexican americans and its relationship to life style behavioral risk factors

The hypothesis positing differences between Mexican Americans and whites regarding attitudes and behaviors concerning obesity and other health issues was tested. A random sample of 1171 whites and 155 Mexican Americans aged 18 to 65 was selected. Two analyses were carried out. First, overweight Mexican Americans were compared with overweight whites. Second, overweight individuals were compared with normal weight counterparts within each ethnic group. Differences between overweight Mexican Americans and overweight whites disappeared after adjusting for the effects of sex, income, educational status, and marital status. Among whites, several factors remained significantly different when comparing overweight with normal weight individuals. Among Mexican Americans, however, all but one of the significant differences between overweight and normal weight individuals disappeared after adjusting for other variables. The implications of these results as they relate to the implementation of public health programs to deal with the prevention and treatment of obesity among Mexican Americans are discussed.

On the Study of Ethnic Enterprise: Unresolved Issues

This essay discusses the preceding articles vis-à-vis unresolved issues in the social science study of ethnic enterprise.

Industrial segmentation, the ethnic economy, and job mobility: the case of Cuban exiles in Florida

We examine mobility between core, periphery, and the ethnic economy in a sample of Cuban exiles. We analyze, first, hypotheses involving the relative magnitude of exit rates from given origins, and, second, hypotheses positing effects of independent variables on exit rates. Regarding the first type of hypotheses, we argue that the presence of an ethnic economy requires modification of predictions in the segmented economy perspective. Data support our argument. Concerning the second type of predictions, regression analysis shows that movement into the periphery is negatively associated with number of relatives in the U.S., movement into ethnic economy employment is positively related to number of relatives living in same city as respondent, and movement into self-employment is positively related to education, intention to return to Cuba if communism were overthrown, and taking a university-level course, and negatively associated with living in a Cuban neighborhood. As a whole, regression results indicate that, with the exception of movement into the periphery, individuals with more resources are more prone to mobility.