Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2018

DOI

10.1002/jcop.21920

Publication Title

Journal of Community Psychology

Volume

46

Issue

1

Pages

117-132

Abstract

The goal of this investigation was to determine whether various cultural stressors (bicultural stress, perceived discrimination, and perceived negative context of reception [PNCR]) predict positive and negative substance use attitudes, directly and indirectly through personal identity, in a sample of immigrant Hispanic adolescents. Data on cultural stressors, substance use attitudes, and covariates were collected from 302 Hispanic immigrant adolescents (152 from Miami [61% Cuban] and 150 from Los Angeles [70% Mexican]) at 3 time points. PNCR was associated with identity confusion (𝛽=.175, p=.033). Identity confusion significantly predicted higher positive attitudes toward alcohol and other drug (AOD; 𝛽 =.216, p<.001) and cigarette use (𝛽=.191, p=.015) and mediated the relationship between PNCR with unfavorable AOD attitudes (𝛽 =-.019, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-0.052,-0.001]) and favorable AOD attitudes (𝛽=0.038, 95% CI [0.003, 0.086]). Perceptions of a negative context of reception may hinder successful personal identity formation and impact health outcomes for immigrant youth.

Comments

Web of Science: "Free full-text from publisher."

Preparation of this article was supported by Grant DA026594 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Original Publication Citation

Grigsby, T. J., Forster, M., Meca, A., Zamboanga, B. L., Schwartz, S. J., & Unger, J. B. (2018). Cultural stressors, identity development, and substance use attitudes among Hispanic immigrant adolescents. Journal of Community Psychology, 46(1), 117-132. doi:10.1002/jcop.21920

ORCID

0000-0002-3272-7701 (Meca)

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