Kerstin Pahl

Trajectories of perceived adult and peer discrimination among Black, Latino, and Asian American adolescents: Patterns and psychological correlates.

This article presents results from a 3-year longitudinal study of the growth patterns and correlates of perceived discrimination by adults and by peers among Black, Latino, and Asian American high school students. Results revealed a linear increase over time in levels of perceived discrimination by adults, whereas perceptions of discrimination by peers remained stable over time. Asian American and non-Puerto Rican Latino adolescents (primarily Dominican) reported higher levels of peer and/or adult discrimination than did Puerto Rican youth, whereas Black adolescents reported a steeper increase over time in levels of perceived discrimination by peers and by adults than did Puerto Rican adolescents. Peer and adult discrimination was significantly associated with decreased self-esteem and increased depressive symptoms over time. Ethnic identity and ethnicity were found to moderate the relationships between perceived discrimination and changes in psychological well-being over time. Results underscore the need to include perceptions of discrimination when studying the development and well-being of ethnic minority adolescents.

The Protective Role of Ethnic and Racial Identity and Aspects of an Africentric Orientation against Drug Use among African American Young Adults.

In this study, the authors examined (a) the protective potential of multiple components of ethnic and racial identity and (b) the aspects of an Africentric orientation for moderating psychobehavioral risk and protective factors for drug use among a sample of 333 urban low-income African American young adults. Ethnic and racial identity and Africentric variables moderated the relationship between psychobehavioral variables and drug stage in 32.5% of the cases. Ethnic and racial identity and Africentric values for African American young adults seemed to be important as moderators of the association between psychobehavioral factors and young adult drug use. The authors suggested implications for future research and interventions.

Peer and Parental Influences on Longitudinal Trajectories of Smoking Among African Americans and Puerto Ricans

The purpose of this study was to identify distinct trajectories of smoking behavior during a period extending from adolescence (mean age = 14 years) to young adulthood (mean age = 26 years) among African American and Puerto Rican adolescents/young adults, to examine ethnic and gender differences in group membership, and to assess the ability of peer and parental smoking to distinguish among trajectory groups. A community-based sample of 451 African American and Puerto Rican adolescents was interviewed four times during adolescence and in early adulthood, covering a span of 12 years. For both ethnic/racial groups, four distinct trajectories were identified: Nonsmokers, maturing-out smokers, late-starting smokers, and early-starting continuous smokers. Compared with Puerto Ricans, African Americans were over-represented in the nonsmoking group, whereas Puerto Ricans were over-represented in the early-starting continuous group. Females were more likely than males to be early-starting continuous smokers than late starters. Adolescents who were exposed to peer and parental smoking in early adolescence were more likely to belong to trajectory groups characterized by higher levels of smoking. These findings show that exposure to peer and parental smoking in early adolescence constitutes a risk factor for engaging in elevated levels of smoking behavior at an early age and for continued smoking into adulthood for urban African Americans and Puerto Ricans. To be most effective, smoking prevention programs should address peer group and family influences on adolescent smoking.

Individual and Contextual Predictors of Perceived Friendship Quality among Ethnic Minority, Low‐Income Adolescents

This longitudinal study examined the separate, relative, and combined contributions of demographic (i.e., gender and ethnicity), individual-level (i.e., psychological well-being), and contextual (i.e., relationships with parents and perceived school climate) factors on changes over time in perceived quality of general and closest same-sex friendships among 114 Asian American, Black, and Latino adolescents from low-income families. Multiple regression analyses indicated that the increase in reported levels of general friendship support from Time 1 to Time 2 (a 1-year period) was greater for those who reported more positive perceptions of school climate at Time 1. The increase in general friendship support from Time 1 to Time 2 was also greater for those who reported lower support scores from mothers at Time 1. Findings suggest a compensatory model of relationships and draw attention to the importance of exploring the ecological context of adolescent friendships.

Adolescent Academic Adjustment Factors and the Trajectories of Cigarette Smoking from Adolescence to the Mid-thirties

Knowledge of early predictors that differentiate between various longitudinal smoking patterns might facilitate designing more effective interventions. Using data from 806 participants, we examined the association of three adolescent academic adjustment factors—educational aspirations and expectations, perception of school achievement, and trouble at school—to five trajectories of cigarette use covering 23 years from adolescence to adulthood. The five trajectory groups were heavy/continuous smokers, late starters, quitter/decreasers, occasional smokers, and nonsmokers. Each academic factor predicted smoking trajectory group membership. Each academic factor was significantly associated with being a heavy/continuous smoker rather than a member of other trajectory groups. Behavioral academic factors also differentiated quitter/decreasers from late starters, occasional smokers, and nonsmokers. Adolescents manifesting academic maladjustment risk becoming early, chronic smokers. Prevention and intervention efforts targeting educational maladjustment may decrease cigarette smoking.

Pathways to Smoking Cessation Among African American and Puerto Rican Young Adults

OBJECTIVES We examined the pathways to smoking cessation between late adolescence and young adulthood. METHODS We obtained data from a sample of urban African American and Puerto Rican young adults (N=242), mean age 19 years, who reported tobacco use and determined cessation rates between late adolescence and young adulthood. We used structural equation modeling to examine the pathways of positive family relations, family smoking, maladaptive personality attributes, and substance use to smoking cessation. RESULTS A mediational pathway linked the absence of positive family relations with maladaptive personality attributes, both of which were related to substance use and ultimately smoking cessation. Substance use mediated the path between family smoking and smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that a positive relationship with ones parents, less smoking in the family, conventional personality attributes, and little or no other substance use facilitate smoking cessation among young adults.

Trajectories of marijuana use and psychological adjustment among urban African American and Puerto Rican women

BACKGROUND The current longitudinal study examined the developmental patterns of marijuana use and their relationship with subsequent psychological adjustment in a community-based sample of urban African American and Puerto Rican women. METHOD Participants were interviewed five times over a period ranging from adolescence (mean age 14.0 years) to adulthood (mean age 32.5 years). Outcome measures included depressive symptoms, anger/hostility and the presence of a substance use disorder (abuse/dependence). RESULTS Three distinct trajectories of marijuana use were identified: non-users, increasers and quitters. Increasers reported higher levels of depressive symptoms and anger/hostility than did non-users and were more likely to meet criteria for a substance use disorder at age 32.5 years. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that early-starting long-term use of marijuana is associated with psychological maladjustment among women. Prevention efforts should emphasize the long-term cost associated with marijuana use, and that the best psychological health is reported by those who abstain from the drug.

Unexpected Benefits: Pathways From Smoking Restrictions in the Home to Psychological Well-Being and Distress Among Urban Black and Puerto Rican Americans

INTRODUCTION This study examined the pathways from smoking policies in the home (no ban, partial ban, and total ban on smoking) to psychological well-being (e.g., self-esteem) and psychological symptoms (e.g., depressive symptoms) as mediated by a healthy lifestyle (engaging in exercise, eating healthful foods, and sleeping enough) and cigarette smoking among a sample of urban Black and Puerto Rican Americans. METHODS Questionnaire data were collected from 816 participants (mean age = 32 years). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the pathways of restrictions on smoking in the home to a healthy lifestyle, cigarette smoking, psychological well-being, and psychological distress. RESULTS The SEM showed mediational pathways linking higher levels of restrictions on smoking in the home with a healthy lifestyle, which in turn was related negatively to psychological distress and positively to psychological well-being. Higher levels of restrictions on smoking in the home were also related inversely to cigarette smoking, which was related positively to psychological distress and negatively to psychological well-being. CONCLUSIONS Findings show that higher levels of restrictions on smoking in the home are associated with a healthier lifestyle and less cigarette smoking, which in turn are associated with better psychological functioning. Greater restrictions on smoking in the home may thus support positive lifestyle choices, including exercise and nutrition, as well as psychological functioning.

Smoking in Adolescence

Rates of adult smoking in the United States have declined in recent years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2009; Lee et al., 2007). National antismoking efforts are credited with similar “substantial reductions” in cigarette smoking by adolescents in the last decade (Lopez, Compton, & Volkow, 2009). Unfortunately, according to a national report, this decline in adolescent smoking has diminished in the last few years (CDC, 2010a), and it only continues among specific populations (CDC, 2010b).

Predictors of DSM and Fagerström-Defined Nicotine Dependence in African American and Puerto Rican Young Adults

This study examined the psychosocial predictors of nicotine dependence, as defined by a variant of the criteria employed in the DSM-IV—specifically that of the University of Michigan Composite International Diagnostic Interview (UM-CIDI)—and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). The study was conducted with a community sample of African American and Puerto Rican young adults (N = 475; mean age = 26). Predictor variables included physiologically based psychosocial (i.e., depressive symptoms and family problems with smoking) as well as social–behavioral psychosocial (i.e., rebelliousness and partners problems with smoking) predictors of nicotine dependence. Using multiple regression analyses, UM-CIDI-defined dependence was predicted by each of the four psychosocial variables, while FTND-defined dependence was predicted only by the social–behavioral variables. These findings bear out the disparate dimensions of nicotine dependence each measure taps. Research and clinical implications of the findings are discussed, and the studys limitations are noted.