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Familial Acculturative Stress and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors in Latinx Immigrant Families of the Southwest

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Abstract

Experiencing acculturative stress burdens Latinx families in a variety of negative and deleterious ways. Using the Family Stress Model, this study aims to explore the patterns and experiences of acculturative stress in Latinx families, and how these experiences related to Latinx adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Data came from baseline reports of three cohorts of parent-youth dyads (n = 532) participating in a longitudinal randomized control effectiveness trial testing a parenting intervention in southwestern U.S. area. Findings indicate that youth exhibited more depressive symptomology when both parent and child reported higher acculturative stress. While youths’ anti-social behaviors were only associated with their own acculturative stress and not their parents’ acculturative stress levels. This study advances new knowledge about the relationship between acculturative stress and youth behaviors, and provides recommendations for developing future interventions with Latinx youth to prevent the onset of internalizing and externalizing behaviors.

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Funding

This research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIH/NIMHD), awards P20 MD002316 (F. Marsiglia, P.I.) and U54 MD002316 (F. Marsiglia, P.I.). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIMHD or the NIH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, Global Center for Applied Health Research, Arizona State University, 411 N. Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Shiyou Wu, Flavio F. Marsiglia & Stephanie Ayers

  2. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Olalla Cutrín

  3. Global Center for Applied Health Research, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Olalla Cutrín

  4. College of Health Solutions, Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Sonia Vega-López

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  1. Shiyou Wu
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  2. Flavio F. Marsiglia
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  3. Stephanie Ayers
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  4. Olalla Cutrín
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  5. Sonia Vega-López
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Correspondence to Shiyou Wu.

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Wu, S., Marsiglia, F.F., Ayers, S. et al. Familial Acculturative Stress and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors in Latinx Immigrant Families of the Southwest. J Immigrant Minority Health 22, 1193–1199 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-01084-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-01084-5

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