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Abstract
This study examined associations of immigrant generation, acculturation, and sources of stress and resilience with four outcomes—depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, alcohol susceptibility, and smoking susceptibility. We used data from 1466 youth (ages 8–16) enrolled in the Hispanic Community Health Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth), a probability sample of Hispanic/Latino youth living in Chicago (IL), Miami (FL), Bronx (NY), and San Diego (CA). We found no evidence of an immigrant paradox. Greater children’s acculturative stress was associated with depression/anxiety symptoms; greater parent’s acculturative stress was associated with smoking susceptibility. Family functioning and children’s ethnic identity were associated with fewer depression/anxiety symptoms and lower alcohol/smoking susceptibility. Although acculturation-related stressors increase youths’ risks for poor mental health and substance use, the development of positive ethnic identities and close, well-functioning family support systems can help protect Latino/Hispanic children from the negative behavioral and health-related consequences of stress.
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1 Department of Social Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Carolina Population Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
2 Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
3 Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
4 Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
5 Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
6 Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
7 Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
8 School of Nursing and Health Studies, Coral Gables, FL, USA
9 Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA