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Perceived Discrimination and Antisocial Behaviors in Puerto Rican Children

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Abstract

This study examined whether perceived discrimination was related to antisocial behaviors (ASB) in a probability sample of Puerto Rican children living in the South Bronx, New York and the San Juan Metropolitan area of Puerto Rico (N = 1,271). After adjusting for a host of well-known factors associated with ASB, such as sociodemographic variables (i.e., age, gender, household composition), psychosocial stressors (i.e., stressful life events, exposure to violence), and various forms of violence and abuse (i.e., coercive parental discipline, verbal, psychological, physical and sexual abuse), perceived discrimination remained a robust correlate of ASB among both samples. Findings are discussed with reference to the detrimental associations of perceived discrimination.

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Acknowledgments

Data for this study were obtained from the Boricua Youth Study (RO-1 MH56401), Hector Bird, P.I. Additionally, preparation of this article was supported by the following National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Grants: the UPR/CHA Exploratory EXPORT Center: Bridging Communities (MD000537-03), the Research Training in Transitions, Family and Mental Health Grant (MH019734), and the Mental Health Services and Systems Training Program Grant (MH016242-27).

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Correspondence to Fernando Rivera.

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Rivera, F., López, I., Guarnaccia, P. et al. Perceived Discrimination and Antisocial Behaviors in Puerto Rican Children. J Immigrant Minority Health 13, 453–461 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-010-9421-x

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