Ethnic Pride, Traditional Family Values, and Acculturation in Early Cigarette and Alcohol Use Among Latino Adolescents

Abstract

A structural equations model examined the influence of three cultural variables of ethnic pride, traditional family values and acculturation, along with the mediating variables of avoidance self-efficacy and perceptions of the “benefits” of cigarette smoking, on cigarette and alcohol use in a sample of Latino middle school students in the Southwest. Girls (N = 585) and boys (N = 360) were analyzed separately. In both groups, higher ethnic pride and traditional family values exerted indirect effects on less cigarette smoking and alcohol use when mediated through greater self-efficacy and less endorsement of the “benefits” of cigarette smoking. Among the girls, greater ethnic pride also had a direct effect on less cigarette and alcohol use. Also, greater acculturation directly predicted more cigarette and alcohol use among the girls, but not among the boys. However, differences between the boys and girls were generally nonsignificant as revealed by multiple group latent variable models. These results offer implications for incorporating cultural variables into the design of culturally relevant prevention interventions that discourage cigarette and alcohol use among Latino adolescents.

Patterns of Drinking Initiation Among Latino Youths: Cognitive and Contextual Explanations of the Immigrant Paradox

“…Furthermore, this study did not test all potential contextual or cognitive explanations of the immigrant paradox. In particular, adolescents' acculturation level (e.g., Castro et al, 2009;Gil et al, 2000) and the parent-child acculturation gap (e.g., Martinez, 2006;Unger, Ritt-Olson, Wagner, Soto, & BaezcondeGabarnati, 2009), which have been linked to adolescent substance use, are two important dimensions that should be taken into consideration in future studies. The sample recruited for study participation reflects the cultural context of the Latino community in Los Angeles and may not represent the Latino culture of other places in the United States.…”

“…There is evidence that a decrease in parental monitoring is related to increased alcohol use among Latino youths (Mogro-Wilson, 2008). In contrast, endorsement of familismo appears to be protective against drinking during adolescence (Castro et al, 2009;Gil, Wagner, & Vega, 2000). Familismo is defined as a normative set of values espoused by Latinos in the United States that encompasses a sense of obligation to provide instrumental support to the family, an edict that family expectations should guide behavior, and an implicit sense that emotional support must be cultivated within the family (German et al, 2009;Sabogal, Mar ın, Otero-Sabogal, Mar ın, & Perez-Stable, 1987).…”

“…That is, U.S-born Latino teens seem more likely to associate with substance-using peers and, in turn, are more likely to drink earlier in adolescence and at a higher frequency than first-generation teens (German, Gonzales, & Dumka, 2009;Lopez et al, 2009). Despite the fact that teens display a preference for peers during adolescence, the family continues to be salient for Latino youths because parenting practices among Latino parents tend to traditionally be organized around its centrality (e.g., Castro, Stein, & Bentler, 2009). There is evidence that a decrease in parental monitoring is related to increased alcohol use among Latino youths (Mogro-Wilson, 2008).…”

Cultural influences on HIV testing among Latino youth

“…Recent literature has documented the limitations of the unidimensional approach and proposed a bicultural model, which ascertains that individuals may adopt the practices and perspectives of the dominant culture while simultaneously retaining the values and traditions of their culture of origin (Castro, Stein, and Bentler 2009). From the bicultural perspective, examining both US American and Latino cultural orientations would likely provide greater insight into the cultural influences of HIV testing.…”

Moral and ethical decision-making: A chance for doping prevention in sports?

“…Brook & Whitehead 1983;Castro et al 2009). We sug-gest including the idea of a materialistic value orientation in the term doping mentality.…”