RESUMO

Discrimination experiences are a salient contributor to the health disparities facing Latina/x/o youth. The biopsychosocial model of minority health posits that discrimination influences health through wear and tear on the biological stress responses, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is a primary stress response system in the body. Emerging evidence suggests that discrimination alters the secretion of cortisol, the end product of the HPA axis, yet, whether the daily processes between discrimination and diurnal cortisol response influence mental and sleep health remains unanswered. This study integrated daily diary and post-diary survey data to examine whether daily diurnal cortisol responses to discrimination influence adolescents' mental (depressive symptoms, anxiety) and sleep (sleep quality, duration) health in a sample of Mexican-origin youth (N = 282; M age = 17.10; 55% female). Results showed that adolescents who experienced more discrimination across the four-day diary period exhibited steeper diurnal cortisol slopes and lower evening cortisol; however, such physiological responses tended to be associated with poorer adolescents' mental and sleep health. The current study underscores the potential adaptation cost associated with short-term cortisol adaptation in the face of discrimination.

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have established that gender roles are predictive of substance use for Mexican and Mexican American adolescents, both living in the U.S. and in Mexico. Objectives: The moderating effects of gender and acculturation and the mediating effects of antisociality, depressive affect, and adaptive and avoidant coping on the gender role-alcohol use relationship were examined in a sample of Mexican American adolescents. METHODS: Secondary data analyses were conducted on a sample of 955 (450 boys, 505 girls) Mexican American 7th and 8th grade adolescents participating in a school-based substance use intervention. RESULTS: For boys, path analyses yielded significant direct paths from aggressive masculinity to alcohol use. Bootstrapped mediation tests also yielded significant indirect paths through antisociality from assertive masculinity, affective femininity, aggressive masculinity, and the interaction of linguistic acculturation by affective femininity to alcohol use. For girls, the relationship between aggressive masculinity with alcohol use and the negative relationship of affective femininity with alcohol use were also mediated by adaptive coping, which is predictive of decreased substance use. CONCLUSION/IMPORTANCE: The present analyses confirm the importance of gender roles, functional mediators, and their interaction with acculturation in predicting substance use in Mexican American adolescents, with implications for the design of interventions to reduce substance use within the Mexican American community.

Assuntos

Aculturação , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias , Adaptação Psicológica , Adolescente , Depressão , Feminino , Papel de Gênero , Humanos , Linguística , Masculino , Americanos Mexicanos/psicologia , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias/psicologia

RESUMO

The current study investigates how and under what conditions family obligation benefits Mexican American adolescents' adjustment. The study used two waves of data from 604 Mexican American adolescents (54.3% female, Mage.wave1 = 12.41 years, SD = 0.97) and their parents. Structural equation modeling revealed that both adolescents' and parents' sense of family obligation related to more supportive parenting (i.e., parental monitoring, warmth, and inductive reasoning), which linked to better adolescent adjustment (i.e., sense of life meaning, resilience, and grades). There were parent gender differences: Adolescents' family obligation was more strongly related to their reports of maternal (vs. paternal) parenting. The links also varied across informants for parenting: (a) individuals' sense of family obligation related only to their own perceptions of parenting and (b) there were more evident associations between adolescent-reported (vs. parent-reported) parenting and adolescent outcomes.

RESUMO

PROBLEM: Perinatal depression is a public health concern as it is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Previous studies have recommended further examination of perinatal depression among Mexican-American adolescents. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand pregnant and postpartum Mexican-American adolescents' knowledge and beliefs concerning perinatal depression. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study examined perceptions about the causes of perinatal depression, self-help strategies, and how to obtain mental health information. Data were analyzed using deductive and inductive qualitative content analysis. A convenience sample, consisiting of 20 pregnant and postpartum adolescents, self-identified as Mexican-Americans, between the ages of 15 and 19 years was interviewed. FINDINGS: The quality of relationships with their family and significant other and difficulties in transitioning to motherhood were described as potential causes for depression. Journaling, exercising, and spending time with friends and family were identified as self-help strategies. Healthcare providers, the internet, and mothers who have experienced depression were stated as helpful sources of mental health information. CONCLUSION: An assessment of their psychosocial environment is indicated to identify risk or protective factors for perinatal depression. Its consideration and inclusion in interventions may optimize mental health among perinatal adolescents.

Assuntos

Comportamento do Adolescente/etnologia , Transtorno Depressivo , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde/etnologia , Letramento em Saúde , Americanos Mexicanos , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde/etnologia , Complicações na Gravidez , Gravidez na Adolescência/etnologia , Autocuidado , Adolescente , Adulto , Transtorno Depressivo/etiologia , Transtorno Depressivo/terapia , Feminino , Humanos , Período Pós-Parto/etnologia , Gravidez , Complicações na Gravidez/etiologia , Complicações na Gravidez/terapia , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Instituições Acadêmicas , Estados Unidos , Adulto Jovem

RESUMO

A sample of 189 Mexican-heritage seventh grade adolescents reported their substance use, while one of the child's parents reported parent's acculturation and communication, involvement, and positive parenting with his or her child. Higher levels of parental acculturation predicted greater marijuana use, whereas parent communication predicted lower cigarette and marijuana use among girls. A significant parent acculturation by parent communication interaction for cigarette use was due to parent communication being highly negatively associated with marijuana use for high acculturated parents, with attenuated effects for low acculturated parents. A significant child gender by parent acculturation by parent positive parenting interaction was found. For girls, positive parenting had a stronger association with lower cigarette use for high acculturated parents. For boys, positive parenting had a stronger association with reduced cigarette use for low acculturated parents. Discussion focuses on how acculturation and gender impact family processes among Mexican-heritage adolescents.

Assuntos

Aculturação , Americanos Mexicanos/estatística & dados numéricos , Poder Familiar/etnologia , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Arizona/epidemiologia , Criança , Comunicação , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Fumar Maconha/epidemiologia , Fumar Maconha/etnologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Relações Pais-Filho/etnologia , Pais , Características de Residência , Fatores Sexuais , Fumar/epidemiologia , Fumar/etnologia , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias/etnologia

RESUMO

One hundred ten Mexican American adolescents (12 - 17 years) who provide infant care for their older sisters were studied to determine the effects of family caregiving responsibilities on adolescents' adjustment. Controlling for prior adjustment and family context factors, providing many hours of caregiving predicted an increase in youths' school absences and disciplinary problems. Frequent conflict surrounding caregiving was associated with increased stress and depression and lower school grades. Older girls appear to select into caregiving and experience the most problematic outcomes. Strong family obligations were not protective against caregiving stress but, rather, further compromised youths' well-being for those who were highly involved in their family's care.