Do alcohol use and binge drinking among Latina/o adolescents increase in the second and third generation? This study explores generational differences in alcohol use behaviors for three Latina/o ethnic groups. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health on 1504 Latina/o adolescents in secondary school, we found that the factors associated with alcohol use behaviors differed across the Latina/o groups. For Mexican and Cuban adolescents, but not Puerto Ricans, immigrant generation was associated with alcohol use. For Mexican, but not Cuban adolescents, acculturation mediated the effect of immigrant generation on alcohol use behaviors. Although generally social capital and a co-ethnic presence were protective factors against alcohol use behaviors, we found that some forms of social capital were actually risk factors for Cubans and Puerto Ricans. Our results provide support for segmented-assimilation theory. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

immigrants Latina/os Assimilation Alcohol Acculturation Adolescents

longitudinal study Alcohol Drinking drinking behavior psychological aspect Adolescent Psychology human Longitudinal Studies statistics Logistic Models child behavior family size ethnology Hispanic Americans Family Characteristics interview United States Humans Hispanic Adolescent Interviews as Topic male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation child psychology Socioeconomic Factors risk factor Risk Factors female socioeconomics cultural factor Article Adolescent Behavior migration statistical model