Latino parents have lower levels of school involvement compared to other ethnic groups, which is often attributed-though not tested-to low English language proficiency. Using a population-based sample of 637 7th grade Latino youth attending an urban school district, we find no significant difference in maternal school involvement when mothers and students are either both fluent in English or both non-fluent. When students are more fluent than their mothers, however, maternal school involvement is significantly lower, suggesting that schools may need to take additional steps to encourage parental involvement when there is language dissonance between parents and their children.

We systematically reviewed studies reporting the use of the Children's Depression Inventory-2 (CDI-2) in samples with at least 30 children and significant Hispanics enrollment (≥ 14.5% of the sample and at least 20 Hispanics completing the scale). We grouped studies by form (short or full-length) and language used, developmental stage, report of psychometric data (particularly for Hispanics), and other characteristics. From 252 full-texts revised, 22 met selection criteria. Six reported psychometric data for Hispanics, either for the English full-length (α = .86 to .92) and short form (α = .76 to .81) or for the Spanish short form (α = .69 to .80). Criterion-related validity was supported via correlation/regression or comparing group means, but not using another depression self-report scale. Current knowledge on the CDI-2 psychometrics among Hispanics is mostly based on studies with the English-language version. No study has reported the psychometrics of the full-length Spanish-language CDI-2 with Hispanics.

Foreign-born Latino/a immigrants currently make up 12.9% of the total U.S. population. Latino/a immigrants continue to be exposed to widespread health and mental health care disparities. Scholarship focused on the needs of Latino/a immigrants continues to be characterized by multiple gaps. Latino/a immigrants and their families, particularly those with low family annual incomes, are exposed to multiple types of immigration-related stress. However, little is known about how immigration-related stress impacts couples. The objective of this investigation was to examine the interrelationship among acculturation and immigration-related stress as reported by a group of Latino/a immigrant parents who participated in a cultural adaptation parenting study. Data were provided by 78 two-parent families. The statistical approach consisted of latent growth curve analyses to examine rates of change over time. Findings indicated a potential protective role of biculturalism among Latino/a immigrant couples. Research, clinical, and policy implications are discussed.

The Social Support for Exercise Subscales are commonly used among Hispanic populations. The aims of this study were to test the validity and reliability of the Spanish-language version of the Social Support for Exercise Subscales, and test the invariance of the Spanish- and English-language versions. Data were from a subsample of Hispanic adults in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (n=1,447). A series of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models were used to assess the validity and reliability of the Spanish-language version of the subscales. A multi group CFA approach was used to test measurement invariance. Results indicated the Spanish-language versions of family and friend support subscales had good validity and reliability (RMSEA<.07, CFI>0.95, TLI>0.94, and SRMR<0.05). There was also evidence of measurement invariance between the Spanish- and English-language versions. These findings indicate the Spanish-language family and friend support subscales are valid and can be compared between Spanish- and English-language Hispanic respondents.

The purpose of this review is to propose a conceptual framework using objectification theory and intersectionality theory to examine social media's influence on body image and its effect on eating disorder predictors among Latina adolescents. To examine and explore how these effects from social media usage can result in mental health disparities that affect this group, emphasis was placed on how Latina ethnic identity mediates body image. Implications for clinicians and researchers include using strengths-based and culturally specific approaches as protective factors for Latina adolescents to strengthen ethnic identity.

may have a broad influence on the well-being of U.S. Latinos by shaping social networks, and, in turn, access to information and resources. However, research on is currently constrained by the lack of a psychometrically sound measure of this cultural construct. This research used a mixed methods approach to develop a scale across three studies: a cognitive interviewing study with Mexican American adults (n=33); a cognitive interviewing study with non-Latino white, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban American adults (n=61); and a psychometric telephone survey with Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban American adults (n=1,296). The final, 12-item scale had high internal consistency reliability and appears to be appropriate for use with Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban American adults. Significant differences emerged across Latino subgroups, with higher observed among Cuban Americans and female respondents, providing empirical evidence of cultural heterogeneity among U.S. Latino populations.

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the God Locus of Health Control scale, a measure of the extent to which an individual believes God has control over one's health, among a sample of churchgoing Latinas ( = 398). Confirmatory factor analysis showed support for a one-factor structure and internal consistency reliability, as measured by Cronbach's coefficient alpha, was good. Evidence for convergent validity was demonstrated by significant correlations in the expected magnitudes and directions with two measures of perceived religious involvement in health. These results suggest that the God Locus of Health Control scale can be used to examine the extent to which God is perceived to control an individual's health among Latinas.

The purpose of this study was to describe the longitudinal trajectories of risk for serious violent behaviors among Latinos of different ancestry in the United States and to examine the impact of neighborhood perceptions, socioeconomic status (SES), and racial/ethnic and immigrant concentration during adolescence in long-term risk. Guided by sociological theories and life-course frameworks, we utilized data from Mexican ( = 755), Cuban ( = 182), Puerto Rican ( = 219), and other Latino ( = 289) respondents who participated in all waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Stratified, weighted, multilevel growth curve models were conducted in Stata 14 MP to determine unadjusted and adjusted trajectories between 13 and 32 years of age for each ancestry group by sex. Violent behaviors decreased over time, and were lower among females of all groups. Puerto Ricans and Cubans had higher risk than Mexicans or other Latinos. Neighborhood factors did not have consistent effects across groups. Neighborhood satisfaction reduced risk among most groups, while social cohesion increased violent behaviors among Mexicans. Neighborhood economic well-being (SES) and proportion of non-Latino Whites had no impact among any group. Living in predominantly Black neighborhoods during adolescence reduced the risk into adulthood among Puerto Ricans, but increased it among other Latinos. Higher neighborhood immigrant concentration was related to higher risk among other Latinos. Initial and long-term risk for violent behaviors differed across Latino ancestry, with slower decreases among Puerto Ricans and Cubans. The impact of neighborhood perceptions, SES, and racial/ethnic and immigrant composition was inconsistent.

Different patterns of heavy drinking occur by country and proximity to the U.S. Mexico border. Few studies describe the impact of violence on drinking between countries and along the border.

Three groups of children from Mexico and Central America are vulnerable to effects of US immigration policies: 1) foreign-born children who entered the US with undocumented immigrant parents; 2) unaccompanied children who entered the US alone; and 3) U.S.-born citizen children of undocumented immigrant parents. Despite the recent demographic growth of these youth, scholarship on their strengths and challenges is under-theorized and isolated within specific disciplines. Hence, service providers, researchers, and policymakers have insufficient research to inform their efforts to support the children's wellbeing. A group of scholars and service-providers with expertise in immigrant children convened to establish consensus areas and identify gaps in knowledge of undocumented, unaccompanied, and citizen children of undocumented immigrant parents. The primary goal was to establish a research agenda that increases interdisciplinary collaborations, informs clinical practice, and influences policies. This report summarizes key issues and recommendations that emerged from the meeting.

This article describes the development of a framework for the Spanish language adaptation of an evidence-based intervention. A systematic literature search of language adaptation of interventions highlighted most published research focuses on the translation of assessment tools rather than interventions. In response, we developed the Participatory and Iterative Process Framework for Language Adaptation (PIPFLA), a descriptive step-by-step example of how to conduct the language adaptation of an intervention that is grounded in principles of good practice and facilitates transparency of the process. A bilingual team composed of project staff, translators, and two small panels of local community experts-composed of Latino community-based clinicians and Latino immigrant parents-participated in the language adaptation of the intervention. The panels reviewed the translated materials and offered their independent emic perspectives; the intervention represented the etic perspective. Both perspectives informed and were integrated into the 11-step iterative process that comprises the PIPFLA framework.

The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), a screener of psychological distress, in English- and Spanish-speaking Hispanic Americans. Hispanic American adults ( = 436) completed the PHQ-4, which yields two subscales (anxiety and depression) that can be summed to create a total score. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate structural validity. The two-factor structure was the best fit to the data for both English- and Spanish-speaking Hispanic Americans and items loaded equivalently across groups, demonstrating measurement invariance. Internal consistency reliability was good as measured by coefficient alpha. Construct validity was evidenced by significant expected relationships with perceived stress. These findings provide support for the reliability and validity of the PHQ-4 as a brief measure of psychological distress for English- or Spanish-speaking Hispanic Americans.

We examined parental preferences in raising Spanish/English bilingual children. We identified factors influencing their decisions, and the strategies used to promote bilingualism. Focus groups were conducted with Spanish-primary-language parents of children 3 to 7 years old. These groups were audiotaped and transcribed. Three reviewers independently analyzed transcripts for themes using margin-coding and grounded theory; disagreements were resolved by consensus. Thirteen Spanish-primary-language parents participated in two focus groups. The results show that parents wanted their children to be bilingual. Parents also stated that the benefits of bilingualism included better career opportunities, and preservation of culture and native language. Family members, schools, and prior parental experiences influenced the parents' decisions to raise bilingual children. Parents preferred English-only school classes and to teach Spanish at home. Strategies identified for raising bilingual children included reading bilingual books and having children speak only Spanish at home. Schools and pediatricians are used as resources.

This study uncovers which learning (epistemic belief of learning), socio-economic background (level of parental education, family income) or social-personality factors (performance- avoidance goals, test anxiety) mitigate the ethnic gap in SAT scores. Measures assessing achievement motivation, test anxiety, socio-economic family background, and epistemic belief of learning were administered to 143 European-American and 62 Hispanic students. Analysis of covariance revealed that the measures of epistemic belief of learning, performance-avoidance goals, and level of parental education each had a unique influence on combined SAT (SAT-V + SAT-M), SAT-V, and SAT-M scores. Indeed, the statistical removal of these influences resulted in the elimination of 55% to 75% of the effect attributed to ethnic differences in SAT performance. Moreover, even when gender differences were controlled the analysis of covariance revealed the same results. Taken as a whole, these results suggest that multiple factors influence ethnic differences in SAT performance.

This study addresses criminal victimization and contact with police among older Puerto Ricans living in Northeastern United States. Framing their experiences within the context of immigration, we assess the role that acculturation and perceived stress play on Puerto Rican crime and victimization. Data from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS; = 1,504) were analyzed using multiple logistic regressions. The experience of criminal victimization by Puerto Ricans is associated with higher educational attainment, increased perceived stress, and also with psychological acculturation. Contact with police is associated with linguistic, but not psychological, acculturation. Our findings give strength to the argument that exposure to crime and the criminal justice system increases with acculturation and that this argument is relevant to Puerto Ricans. Thus, the association between acculturation, criminal victimization, and police contact depends on the conceptualization of acculturation used. The relationship between stress, acculturation, and crime among Latinos is complex and warrants further assessment.

This mixed methods, multi-site, National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)-funded, interdisciplinary, descriptive study aimed to identify expressions of worry in qualitative data obtained from caregiving Mexican American (MA) families assisting older adults. The purpose of this portion of the inquiry was to determine how worry is expressed, what happens to caregivers when they worry, and what adaptive strategies they used. We examined semi-structured interviews completed during six in-home visits with 116 caregivers. We identified 366 worry quotations from 639 primary documents in ATLAS.ti, entered them into matrices, and organized findings under thematic statements. Caregivers expressed cultural and contextual worries, worried about transitions and turning points in care, and identified adaptive strategies. Despite these strategies, worry persisted. Constant worry may be an allied, important aspect of caregiver burden. We need additional longitudinal research to better understand the experience of MA caregivers for older adults and to provide empirically supported interventions, programs, and services that reduce worry.

The goal of the current analysis is to examine relationships between smoking status and anxiety and depression among adults of Mexican heritage to inform the development of culturally relevant smoking cessations efforts. Mexican heritage residents (N=1,791) of the city of Brownsville, TX, aged 18 years or older, enrolled in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, were selected through two stage cluster sampling of randomly selected census tracts from the first and third quartile of SES using Census 2000. Among current smokers, anxiety and depression scores were highest among women who had not completed high school (p<0.05). Former smoking women, but not men, with at least a high school education and former smoking women born in the United States reported higher levels of anxiety and depression than never smoking women. Negative affective states may represent a greater barrier to smoking cessation among women than men.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Brief Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BASH), a four-item, language-based measure of acculturation. Participants in the study were 435 Hispanic Americans from a large metropolitan area with English or Spanish language preference. Internal consistency reliability was strong in both language-preference groups. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the structural validity of the measure. A unidimensional factor structure was found for both English and Spanish language-preference groups and items loaded equivalently across groups, demonstrating measurement invariance. The BASH had good convergent validity and incremental validity. Overall, this study provides further evidence that the BASH offers a brief, reliable, and valid measure of acculturation to be used among Hispanic Americans.

The transition from middle school to high school is an important developmental period to investigate because of the negative impact it has on youths' academics. The purpose of this study was to investigate Latino youths' academic achievement prior to, during, and after the transition to high school, and gender differences in youths' achievement over time. School transcripts were obtained for 92 youth. Three latent growth curve models were tested. Youth were stable in achievement throughout middle school, declined in grades during the transition, yet remained stable in high school. Youth with higher achievement in fall of eighth grade declined in the transition at a faster rate than youth who held lower achievement. Girls held higher levels of achievement across each stage in development; boys and girls differed in high school trajectories. Policy makers interested in fostering a successful transition should create programs for both high and low achieving Latino youth.

This study examined how Mexican American youths' extent of sibling caretaking is related to their personal and school adjustment, and whether mothers' gender-role attitudes and youths' familistic beliefs moderate these associations. One hundred and ninety-five Mexican American youth ( age 14.8 years; 64% girls) and their mothers participated in the study. Youth completed questionnaires about their extent of sibling caretaking, their educational aspirations, school involvement, school absences, grades, and their prosocial tendencies. Results indicated that, when examined singly, frequent sibling caretaking was related to youths' higher educational aspirations, greater prosocial tendencies, and more school engagement for older youth, but also to more school absences. When extensive sibling care was coupled with mothers' sex-stereotyped attitudes, youth experienced poorer outcomes. Youth who held strong familistic beliefs and were highly involved in sibling care reported lower educational aspirations, particularly girls. Findings underscore the importance of considering socialization influences when evaluating associations between sibling caretaking and youths' development.

This study uses social capital to assess the effects of social support on acculturation-related stress among recently immigrated Hispanics in South Florida before and after immigration. At baseline ( = 527), first 12 months in the United States, acculturative stress was negatively related to support from friends ( < .044) and positively related to support from parents ( < .023). At first follow-up ( = 415), 24 months in the United States, emotional/informational support was negatively associated with acculturation-related stress ( < .028). In the second follow-up ( = 478), 36 months in the United States, support from children was negatively associated with acculturation-related stress ( < .016). Limited English proficiency was found to be negatively associated with acculturation stress at all three points ( < .001, < .025, and < .001, respectively). Implications of this study can be used in the design of culturally appropriate and family-oriented interventions for recent immigrants to ease the acculturation process.

A survey of the literature indicates that reported advantages of the Immigrant and Hispanic Paradox are inconsistent and equivocal. The also suggests that current research approaches consider only "healthy" groups. Other methodological concerns include the simple underreporting of deaths, and that commonly used databases may not include all significant attributes and characteristics. We conducted a systematic review, synthesizing and identifying themes not explicitly found in the current literature. We also employ a simple quantitative index to assess the scholarly strength of references. Paradox protection appears uneven and is not generalizable across races, ethnicities, age groups and genders. In addition, acculturation, health behaviors and diet, ethnicity, acculturative stress, adolescence, undocumented and uninsured status, age of arrival in the United States and length of exposure, gender and age appear to be significant in predicting any beneficial effects.

Reports indicate that the criminal victimization of Latino immigrants in the United States has been increasing yet is often underreported. This may be especially true in new immigrant settlement cities that lack an established Latino community to provide support and feelings of security. New Orleans is an important context to investigate criminal victimization as it has experienced a large demographic shift in Latino composition post-Hurricane Katrina. This ethnographic study elucidates the social processes and structural factors that contribute to the criminal victimization of Latino day laborers (LDLs) in New Orleans. Three emergent social processes associated to criminal victimization are discussed, including: (1) distinct settlement process; (2) chaos of the setting and lifestyle; and (3) high-risk exposure. LDLs' experiences of crime victimization are also explored. Findings reveal distinct structural factors associated to new immigrant settlement cities that contribute to the heightened vulnerability of LDLs.

Parents' aspirations and expectations are communicated to their offspring. Children internalize their parents' aspirations and accept some of the expectations while rejecting others, all part of the developmental process and identity-consolidation. When the aspirations and expectations of youth and parents are incongruent, the outcomes in youths' behavior can be deleterious, such as when adolescents manifest suicidal behaviors. We examined aspirations expressed by 12 Latina adolescent suicide attempters and their parents and compared them to 12 non-suicidal Latinas and parents. Qualitative analyses revealed that incongruence of aspirations between girls and their parents were greater among suicidal teens. Suicidal and non-suicidal Latinas presented contrasting aspirations: the former on gaining independence and the latter on completing their education and pursuing careers. Findings may inform developmental research and ways in which clinicians and policymakers can help Latinas achieve their own and their parents' aspirations.

This study explores the consequences of increasingly restrictive immigration policies on social capital among Mexican mothers with unauthorized immigrant status in Arizona. Three focus groups conducted in Arizona explore how mothers' experiences with immigration policies have affected their neighborhood, community, and family ties. Focus group content and interactions revealed that perceived racial profiling was common among mothers and led to fear of family separation. Several described direct experiences with detention and deportation. Although detention and deportation strengthened social ties between mothers and other unauthorized immigrants, these experiences were detrimental to social ties between mothers and members of the mainstream society, including their children's teachers. Finally, immigration policies were perceived to affect parent-child ties negatively, as mothers reported family stress, financial hardship, and decreased parental availability.

We explored migration decisions using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with male and female youth ages 14 to 24 (n=47) from two Mexican communities, one with high and one with low U.S. migration density. Half were return migrants and half were non-migrants with relatives in the U.S. Migrant and non-migrant youth expressed different preferences, especially in terms of education and their ability to wait for financial gain. Reasons for migration were mostly similar across the two communities; however, the perceived risk of the migration journey was higher in the low density migration community while perceived opportunities in Mexico were higher in the high density migration community. Reasons for return were related to youths' initial social and economic motivations for migration. A greater understanding of factors influencing migration decisions may provide insight into the vulnerability of immigrant youth along the journey, their adaptation process in the U.S., and their reintegration in Mexico.

Social support for adolescent mothers, particularly from mother figures, can buffer risks and promote well-being. To date, no longitudinal research has investigated how the dimensions of social support may change during the transition from pregnancy to parenthood for adolescent mothers. This study examined stability and change in dimensions of social support from the third trimester of pregnancy to two years postpartum among 191 dyads of Mexican-origin adolescent first-time mothers and their mother figures. Perceptions of social support received from a mother figure shifted from a single dimension (i.e., global support) to three distinct factors (instrumental, emotional, and companionship support) during this transition; however, social support provision as reported by mother figures remained stable. Measurement equivalence was established across interview language (English and Spanish) and across two time points postpartum. Bivariate correlations provided support for the convergent and divergent validity of these measures. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Latinos are a multiracial ethnic group, and as such, within-group differences in ethnoracial appearance deserve to be studied and understood within the racialized American context and in connection to specific health and mental health outcomes. This article presents the findings of a study conducted with middle school Mexican heritage students ( = 1,150) in Phoenix, Arizona, and tested how non-White majority ethnoracial appearance predicted adolescent substance use, and whether the relationship differed by generation status and strength of ethnic identity. Logistic regression results revealed that generation status and ethnic identity moderate the relationship between ethnoracial appearance and substance use among Mexican heritage youth. The odds of using substances were significantly higher for third-generation adolescents who reported a less European appearance, but significantly lower for second-generation youth who were more indigenous in appearance. These findings indicate that a stronger indigenous ethnic appearance can be both a protective and risk factor for substance use for adolescents. Implications are discussed in terms of incorporating ethnoracial appearance content in prevention interventions for Mexican heritage and other Latino adolescents.

In an effort to better understand possible pathways that lead to a relatively high incidence of depressive symptoms among Mexican American youth, an interpersonal stress model of depression was tested using a community sample of 674 Mexican American mothers and their 5th grade children. Structural equation analyses revealed that maternal depression was positively related to mothers' interpersonal stress in their relationships. Additionally, maternal poor parenting quality was associated with three child outcomes: lower social competence, higher interpersonal stress, and higher depressive symptoms. Child difficulties with peers, however, were not related to child depression. Overall, evidence suggests that familial factors, rather than peer factors, were related to child depression for these study participants.

Measurement of race and ethnicity is integral to assessing and addressing health disparities experienced by minorities. However, the unique experiences of Latinos related to race and the discordance between understandings of race among Latinos and the predominant U.S. conceptualizations of this construct impact how Latinos respond to measurement approaches. As a result, data collection methodologies often yield ambiguous responses that reveal little about this population. This paper examines Latinos' racial responding, and how this relates to their experiences and understanding of their racial identity. We recommend the use of a combined race and ethnicity question and open-ended race and ethnicity questions, when feasible, which will likely yield more meaningful data that can be used to address this populations' health needs.