Prevention Science
Volume 15, Issue 3, 2014, Pages 385-396

Domains of Acculturation and Their Effects on Substance Use and Sexual Behavior in Recent Hispanic Immigrant Adolescents (Article)

Schwartz S.J. , Unger J.B. , Des Rosiers S.E. , Lorenzo-Blanco E.I. , Zamboanga B.L. , Huang S. , Baezconde-Garbanati L. , Villamar J.A. , Soto D.W. , Pattarroyo M. , Szapocznik J.
  • a University of Miami, 1425 N.W. 10th Avenue, 321, Miami, FL, 33136, United States
  • b University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • c Barry University, Miami Shores, FL, United States
  • d University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
  • e Smith College, Northampton, MA, United States
  • f University of Miami, 1425 N.W. 10th Avenue, 321, Miami, FL, 33136, United States
  • g University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • h Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
  • i University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • j University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • k University of Miami, 1425 N.W. 10th Avenue, 321, Miami, FL, 33136, United States

Abstract

This study evaluated the immigrant paradox by ascertaining the effects of multiple components of acculturation on substance use and sexual behavior among recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents primarily from Mexico (35 %) and Cuba (31 %). A sample of 302 adolescents (53 % boys; mean age 14.51 years) from Miami (n = 152) and Los Angeles (n = 150) provided data on Hispanic and US cultural practices, values, and identifications at baseline and provided reports of cigarette use, alcohol use, sexual activity, and unprotected sex approximately 1 year later. Results indicated strong gender differences, with the majority of significant findings emerging for boys. Supporting the immigrant paradox (i.e., that becoming oriented toward US culture is predictive of increased health risks), individualist values predicted greater numbers of oral sex partners and unprotected sex occasions for boys. However, contrary to the immigrant paradox, for boys, both US practices and US identification predicted less heavy drinking, fewer oral and vaginal/anal sex partners, and less unprotected vaginal/anal sex. Ethnic identity (identification with one's heritage culture) predicted greater numbers of sexual partners but negatively predicted unprotected sex. Results indicate a need for multidimensional, multi-domain models of acculturation and suggest that more work is needed to determine the most effective ways to culturally inform prevention programs. © 2013 Society for Prevention Research.

Author Keywords

Hispanic Immigrant Adolescent Drug use Alcohol use Acculturation Unprotected sex Sexual behavior

Index Keywords

sexual behavior human Substance-Related Disorders Cuba ethnology Mexico Hispanic Americans United States Florida Humans migrant psychology Hispanic Adolescent California Psychology, Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation child psychology female cultural factor high risk behavior Risk-Taking Adolescent Behavior addiction
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84901228983&doi=10.1007%2fs11121-013-0419-1&partnerID=40&md5=7921af2b521bb77e22e1e042e30b0c10
DOI: 10.1007/s11121-013-0419-1
ISSN: 13894986
Cited by: 49
Original Language: English