Norma J. Perez-Brena

Neighborhood and School Ethnic Structuring and Cultural Adaptations among Mexican-Origin Adolescents.

The ethnic and racial structuring of U.S. neighborhoods may have important implications for developmental competencies during adolescence, including the development of heritage and mainstream cultural orientations. In particular, living in highly concentrated Latino neighborhoods during early adolescence—which channels adolescents into related school environments—may promote retention of the ethnic or heritage culture, but it also may constrain adaptation to the mainstream U.S. culture. We tested these hypotheses longitudinally in a sample of 246 Mexican origin adolescents (50.8% girls) and their parents. Data were collected 4 times over 8 years, with adolescents averaging 12.5 (SD = .58) to 19.6 (SD = .66) years of age across the period of the study. Latino ethnic concentration in early adolescents’ neighborhoods promoted the retention of Mexican cultural orientations; Latino ethnic concentration in middle schools undermined the development of mainstream U.S cultural orientations. Findings are discussed in terms of integrating cultural–developmental theory with mainstream neighborhood theory to improve understandings of neighborhood and school ethnic concentration effects on adolescent development.

Contributions of the integrative model for the study of developmental competencies in minority children: What have we learned about adaptive culture?

The integrative model for the study of developmental competencies in minority children (García Coll et al., 1996) is considered by many to have signaled a landmark shift in conceptualizing the normative development of minority children. Since its publication, the model has been widely used in child development scholarship to challenge deficit perspectives of ethnic-racial minority children and families, which were—and arguably still are—pervasive. In this article, we provide a systematic qualitative review of the research pertaining to what García Coll and colleagues (1996) termed adaptive culture, which refers to “a social system defined by sets of goals, values, and attitudes that differs from the dominant culture” (p. 1896), and which on its own has been discussed in 93 studies. We conclude with a critical discussion of areas of inquiry informed by the integrative model and recommendations for future directions in theory and empirical work.

The educational and career adjustment of Mexican-origin youth in the context of the 2007/2008 economic recession

Youths transition out of high school is a complex process that is informed by youths awareness of available opportunities and resources, social norms, and social belonging and responsibility. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study examined the educational and career adjustment (i.e., college attendance status, post-secondary education type, work status, and work quality) of Mexican-origin siblings who made the transition out of high school before (i.e., 2005 or earlier) or during the economic recession (i.e., 2007 or after). Participants were 246 Mexican-origin mothers, fathers, older siblings (50% female; 38% U.S. born), and younger siblings (51% female; 47% U.S. born). Our results showed that, even though siblings grew up in similar family environments, 2007 graduates (younger siblings) were less likely to attend college, be enrolled in a university compared to a community college, and reported working in lower quality jobs as compared to 2005 graduates (older siblings). Results also showed that high economic hardship reduced the adverse association between perceived discrimination and youth educational and career adjustment, and reduced the protective effect of family obligation values on youth adjustment.

Mexican-Origin Youth's Risk Behavior from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: The Role of Familism Values

Engagement in risk behavior has implications for individuals’ academic achievement, health, and well-being, yet there is a paucity of developmental research on the role of culturally relevant strengths in individual and family differences in risk behavior involvement among ethnic minority youth. In this study, we used a longitudinal cohort-sequential design to chart intraindividual trajectories of risk behavior and test variation by gender and familism values in 492 youth from 12 to 22 years of age. Participants were older and younger siblings from 246 Mexican-origin families who reported on their risk behaviors in interviews spaced over 8 years. Multilevel cohort-sequential growth models revealed that youth reported an increase in risk behavior from 12 to 18 years of age, and then a decline to age 22. Male youth reported greater overall levels and a steeper increase in risk behavior from ages 12 to 18, compared to female youth. For familism values, on occasions when youth reported higher levels, they also reported lower levels of risk behavior (i.e., within-person effect). For sibling dyads characterized by higher average levels of familism values, youth reported lower average levels of risk behavior (i.e., between-family effect). Findings provide unique insights into risk behavior from adolescence to young adulthood among Mexican-origin youth.

Parental Modeling and Deidentification in Romantic Relationships Among Mexican‐Origin Youth

This study investigated youths modeling of and de-identification from parents in romantic relationships, using two phases of data from adolescent siblings, mothers, and fathers in 246 Mexican-origin families. Each parent reported his/her marital satisfaction and conflict, and youth reported on parent-adolescent warmth and conflict at Time 1. Youths reports of modeling of and de-identification from their mothers and fathers and three romantic relationship outcomes were assessed at Time 2. Findings revealed that higher parental marital satisfaction, lower marital conflict, and higher warmth and lower conflict in parent-adolescent relationships were associated with more modeling and less de-identification from parents. Moreover, higher de-identification was linked to a greater likelihood of youth being involved in a romantic relationship and cohabitation, whereas more modeling was linked to a lower likelihood of cohabitation and older age of first sex. Discussion underscores the importance of assessing parental modeling and de-identification and understanding correlates of these processes.