Journal of Community Psychology
Volume 46, Issue 1, 2018, Pages 117-132

Cultural stressors, identity development, and substance use attitudes among Hispanic immigrant adolescents (Article)

Grigsby T.J.* , Forster M. , Meca A. , Zamboanga B.L. , Schwartz S.J. , Unger J.B.
  • a University of Texas at San Antonio, United States
  • b California State University, Northridge, United States
  • c Old Dominion University, United States
  • d Smith College, United States
  • e Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, United States
  • f University of Southern California, United States

Abstract

The goal of this investigation was to determine whether various cultural stressors (bicultural stress, perceived discrimination, and perceived negative context of reception [PNCR]) predict positive and negative substance use attitudes, directly and indirectly through personal identity, in a sample of immigrant Hispanic adolescents. Data on cultural stressors, substance use attitudes, and covariates were collected from 302 Hispanic immigrant adolescents (152 from Miami [61% Cuban] and 150 from Los Angeles [70% Mexican]) at 3 time points. PNCR was associated with identity confusion (β =.175, p =.033). Identity confusion significantly predicted higher positive attitudes toward alcohol and other drug (AOD; β =.216, p <.001) and cigarette use (β =.191, p =.015) and mediated the relationship between PNCR with unfavorable AOD attitudes (β = −.019, 95% confidence interval [CI] [− 0.052, − 0.001]) and favorable AOD attitudes (β = 0.038, 95% CI [0.003, 0.086]). Perceptions of a negative context of reception may hinder successful personal identity formation and impact health outcomes for immigrant youth. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85038083480&doi=10.1002%2fjcop.21920&partnerID=40&md5=b68f88d1a64b2f18763a69acdd4e0f46

DOI: 10.1002/jcop.21920
ISSN: 00904392
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English