@article{ref1,
title="Trajectories of cultural stressors and effects on mental health and substance use among Hispanic immigrant adolescents",
journal="Journal of Adolescent Health",
year="2015",
author="Schwartz, Seth J. and Unger, Jennifer B. and Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes and Zamboanga, Byron L. and Lorenzo-Blanco, Elma I. and Des Rosiers, Sabrina E. and Romero, Andrea J. and Cano, Miguel Ángel and Gonzales-Backen, Melinda A. and Córdova, David and Piña-Watson, Brandy M. and Huang, Sunan and Villamar, Juan A. and Soto, Daniel W. and Pattarroyo, Monica and Szapocznik, José",
volume="56",
number="4",
pages="433-439",
abstract="PURPOSE: We sought to determine the extent to which initial levels and over-time trajectories of cultural stressors (discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress) predicted well-being, internalizing symptoms, conduct problems, and health risk behaviors among recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents. Addressing this research objective involved creating a latent factor for cultural stressors, establishing invariance for this factor over time, estimating a growth curve for this factor over time, and examining the effects of initial levels (intercepts) and trajectories (slopes) of cultural stressors on adolescent outcomes. <br><br>METHODS: A sample of 302 recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents in Miami (median of 1 year in the United States at baseline) and Los Angeles (median of 3 years in the United States at baseline) was recruited from public schools and assessed six times over a 3-year period. <br><br>RESULTS: Perceived discrimination, context of reception, and bicultural stress loaded onto a latent factor at each of the first five timepoints. A growth curve conducted on this factor over the first five timepoints significantly predicted lower self-esteem and optimism, more depressive symptoms, greater aggressive behavior and rule breaking, and increased likelihood of drunkenness and marijuana use. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The present results may be important in designing interventions for Hispanic immigrant children and adolescents, including those within the present wave of unaccompanied child migrants. <br><br>RESULTS indicate targeting cultural stressors in interventions may have potential to improve well-being and decrease externalizing behaviors and substance use within this population.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1054-139X",
doi="10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.12.011",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.12.011"
}