Nativity as a Moderator of Familial and Nonfamilial Correlates of Latino/a Youth Prosocial Behaviors

Abstract

Familial and nonfamilial relations play prominent roles in fostering youths’ prosocial tendencies. The present study examined the direct and indirect relations among family conflict, parental and peer acceptance, deviant peer affiliation, and prosocial tendencies. Participants included 306 (53.8% female, Mage = 15.50, SD = .42; range = 14–18) U.S. Latino/a adolescents and their parents (87.9% mothers). The majority of adolescents were born in the United States (N = 206, 68.0%; average time in United States = 10 years) and identified as a Mexican heritage group member (N = 248, 81.0%). Findings differed by nativity as parental acceptance predicted prosocial tendencies for U.S. Latinos/as born outside the United States and peers were significant predictors of prosocial tendencies for U.S.‐born Latino/as.

Familism Values, Family Assistance, and Prosocial Behaviors Among U.S. Latinx Adolescents

“…In this regard, however, evidence for household structure differences in family assistance behaviors has been inconsistent (Fuligni et al, 1999; Goodnow, 1988). Finally, prior work suggested higher compliant, emotional, and dire prosocial behaviors for girls than boys (Carlo et al, 2016; Xiao et al, 2019), and nativity mean differences in prosocial behaviors (Streit & Carlo, 2020). Given the implications of these important social positions and family characteristics, prior examinations of whether or not such factors moderate key associations (e.g., Calderón-Tena et al, 2011; East & Hamill, 2013; Knight et al, 2015; Telzer et al, 2014), and specific calls to reduce data analytic biases (Hartung & Lefler, 2019), research should examine whether the associations between adolescents’ familism values, engagement in family assistance, and prosocial behaviors are qualified by gender, nativity, or household structure among U.S. Latinx adolescents residing in an emerging immigrant destination.…”

Indirect associations between immigration-related stressors and latine adolescents’ depressive symptoms: The moderating roles of familism, nativity, and gender.

“…Regarding nativity, researchers have noted differences between non-U.S.-born and U.S.-born Latine youth in the effects of some cultural stressors and parenting processes on youth well-being. For example, the pathways linking acculturative stress and alcohol use (Gil et al, 2000), as well as the associations between parental acceptance and prosocial behavior (Streit & Carlo, 2020), appear to differ by nativity. Similarly, the impact of immigration-related stress on family conflict and depressive symptoms might differ for non-U.S.-born versus U.S.-born youth.…”

A systemic, multiple socialization approach to the study of prosocial development

“…Although work that directly examines multiple socializing influences of prosocial development is limited, some evidence for this approach exists. In line with social ecological theory (Bronfenbrenner, 2005), some scholars have advocated for the consideration of the joint effects of socialization agents, rather than considering these influences as completely independent contributors to prosociality (Brown & Bakken, 2011;Streit & Carlo, 2020). Indeed, there might be substantial benefits to considering the joint familial and peer contributions to prosocial behaviors as positive relations with both friends and family members facilitate a more positive emotional climate that may foster youth's prosocial tendencies (Grusec & Goodnow, 1994).…”