Melissa Y. Delgado

Latino Adolescents' Participation in Extracurricular Activities: How Important Are Family Resources and Cultural Orientation?

Latino adolescents often are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities compared to youth from other ethnic groups. This descriptive study examined the differences in activity participation by family resources and markers of cultural orientation for the four largest Latino ethnic groups in the U.S. Findings were based on secondary data analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 11,689 Latino youth). Family resources were not strong predictors of participation, but the markers of cultural orientation did predict activity participation. Surprisingly, foreign-born youth had higher participation than native-born youth. The proportion of their friendship network that was non-Hispanic friends positively predicted activity participation, whereas the proportion of co-ethnic and foreign-born Hispanic friends negatively predicted activity participation. Findings from this investigation highlight that there were few differences in participation by Latino ethnic group affiliation but great variability within each Latino ethnic group.

Exposure to methylphenidate during peri-adolescence affects endocrine functioning and sexual behavior in female Long–Evans rats

The present study was designed to test the effects of methylphenidate (MPH) exposure on the maturation of endocrine functioning and sexual behavior. Female rat pups received either MPH (2.0mg/kg, i.p.) or saline twice daily between postnatal days 20-35. This period of exposure represents the time just prior to puberty as well as puberty onset. Approximately five weeks after the last injection of MPH or saline, female subjects were hormone-primed and tested during their first sexual experience. Subjects were given the choice to interact with a sexually active male or a sexually receptive female rat (i.e., the partner-preference test). The partner-preference paradigm allows us to assess multiple aspects of female sexual behavior. MPH exposure during peri-adolescence delayed puberty and, when mated for the first time, affected sexual behavior (e.g., increased time spent with the male stimulus and decreased the likelihood of leaving after mounts) during the test of partner preference. When monitoring estrous cyclicity, female subjects treated with MPH during peri-adolescence frequently experienced irregular estrous cycles. The results of the present study suggest that chronic exposure to a therapeutic dose of MPH around the onset of puberty alters long-term endocrine functioning, but with hormone priming, increases sensitivity to sexual stimuli.

Mexican American college students’ perceptions of youth success.

Given the recent research agenda focused on positive youth development (PYD), it is important to consider PYD from the perspective of young people. Using qualitative data collected from open-ended responses, 141 Mexican American college students (Ages 18–22; 81.6% female; 84.2% U.S.-born) reported on their perceptions of the definition of youth success and ideas about what contributes to youth success. We conducted inductive thematic analysis and found that Mexican American college students identified definitions of success related to 3 themes: academic (e.g., school success), individual (e.g., personal qualities), and social (e.g., positive family relationships) factors. Further, factors relating to the individual (e.g., school involvement), relationships (e.g., supportive family), and the environment (e.g., resource availability) emerged as important contributors to youth success. Academic success, youths’ personal qualities, and positive and supportive family relationships and friendships were of particular importance to Mexican American college students’ perspectives on definitions of youth success and contributors to youth success. Debido a la reciente agenda de investigación enfocada en el desarrollo positivo de la juventud (DPJ), es importante considerar el DPJ desde la perspectiva de los jóvenes. Utilizando datos cualitativos recabados mediante las respuestas de preguntas abiertas de 141 estudiantes universitarios México-Americanos (de 18–22 años de edad; 81.6% mujeres; 84.2% nacidos en Estados Unidos), investigamos las percepciones de estudiantes universitarios sobre la definición del éxito juvenil y sobre sus ideas acerca de lo que contribuye al éxito juvenil. Utilizando un análisis temático inductivo, encontramos que los estudiantes universitarios México-Americanos identificaron definiciones de éxito relacionadas a tres temas: a factores académicos (por ejemplo, éxito escolar), individuales (por ejemplo, cualidades personales) y sociales (por ejemplo, relaciones familiares positivas). Además, hubieron factores relacionados con el individuo (por ejemplo, participación en la escuela), con sus familiares y amigos (por ejemplo, recibir apoyo de la familia), y con el ambiente (por ejemplo, disponibilidad de recursos) que surgieron como contribuyentes importantes al éxito juvenil. El éxito académico, las cualidades personales de los jóvenes, y las relaciones positivas con familiares y amigos fueron de mayor importancia en las perspectivas de los estudiantes universitarios México-Americanos sobre sus definiciones del éxito juvenil y sobre los contribuyentes al éxito juvenil.

Prospective Relations among Low-Income African American Adolescents’ Maternal Attachment Security, Self-Worth, and Risk Behaviors

This study examined prospective mediating relations among mother-adolescent attachment security, self-worth, and risk behaviors, including substance use and violence, across ages 13–17 in a sample of 901 low-income African American adolescents. Path analyses revealed that self-worth was a significant mediator between attachment security and risk behaviors, such that earlier attachment security predicted self-worth 1 year later, which in turn, predicted substance use, weapon carrying, and fighting in the 3rd year. Implications for the role of the secure base concept within the context of urban poverty are discussed.