Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Acculturation and Substance Use Among Hispanic Early Adolescents: Investigating the Mediating Roles of Acculturative Stress and Self-Esteem

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
The Journal of Primary Prevention Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined the extent to which Hispanic orientation and American orientation are associated with substance use (cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana) both directly and indirectly through acculturative stress and self-esteem. Participants were 347 Hispanic early adolescents (50.7% male; mean age = 12.57, SD = 0.92, range 11–15) from two middle schools in western Michigan. Findings showed that self-esteem emerged as the most consistent predictor of likelihood and extent of substance use. Ethnic identity was positively related to risk for substance use, and acculturative stress and self-esteem mediated the relationships of Hispanic cultural orientation to alcohol use. Self-esteem was the most important protective factor against substance use, and as such, we conclude that prevention programs designed to address precocious substance use that incorporate a self-esteem building component could prove useful among Hispanic early adolescents residing in monocultural contexts within the United States.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Atkins, D. C., & Gallop, R. J. (2007). Rethinking how family researchers model infrequent outcomes: A tutorial on count regression and zero-inflated models. Journal of Family Psychology, 21, 726–735. doi:10.1037/0893-3200.21.4.726.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, R. (2007). Minority population tops 100 million. Retrieved May 17, 2007 from http://www.census.gov/dcmd/www/embargo/popest/national/pio-nat_stat.html.

  • Brook, J. S., Adams, R. E., Balka, E. B., & Johnson, E. (2002). Early adolescent marijuana use: Risks for the transition to young adulthood. Psychological Medicine, 32, 79–91. doi:10.1017/S0033291701004809.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brook, J. S., Whiteman, M., Balka, E. B., Win, P. T., & Gursen, M. D. (1998). Similar and different precursors to drug use and delinquency among African Americans and Puerto Ricans. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 159, 13–29.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cabassa, L. J. (2003). Measuring acculturation: Where we are and where we need to go. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Science, 25, 127–146. doi:10.1177/0739986303025002001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2001). Youth risk behavior surveillance system. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chávez, D. V., Moran, V. R., Reid, S. L., & López, M. (1997). Acculturative stress in children: A modification of the SAFE scale. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Science, 19, 34–44. doi:10.1177/07399863970191002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, D. H. (2005). Can strategic interaction divert diversionary behavior? A model of U.S. conflict propensity. Journal of Political, 65, 1013–1039.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crockett, L. J., & Zamboanga, B. L. (in press). Latino substance use: Culture, social, and psychological considerations. In F. Villaruel, G. Carlo, M. Azmitia, J. Grau, N. Cabrera, & J. Chahin (Eds.), Handbook of U.S. Latino psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

  • Cuéllar, I., Arnold, B., & Maldonado, R. (1995). Acculturation rating scale for Mexican Americans-II: A revision of the original ARSMA scale. Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 17, 275–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De La Rosa, M. (2002). Acculturation and Latino adolescents’ substance use: A research agenda for the future. Substance Use and Misuse, 37, 429–456. doi:10.1081/JA-120002804.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delva, J., Wallace, J. M., O’Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., Johnston, L. D., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2005). The epidemiology of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine use among Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban American, and other Latin American eighth-grade students in the United States: 1991–2002. American Journal of Public Health, 95, 696–702. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2003.037051.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DeWit, D. J., Adlaf, E. M., Offord, D. R., & Ogborne, A. C. (2000). Age at first alcohol use: A risk factor for the development of alcohol disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 157, 745–750. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.157.5.745.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Donnellan, M. B., Trzesniewski, K. H., Robins, R. W., Moffitt, T. E., & Caspi, A. (2005). Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency. Psychological Science, 16, 328–335. doi:10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.01535.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elder, J. P., Campbell, N. R., Litrownik, A. J., Ayala, G. X., Slymen, D. J., Parra-Medina, D., et al. (2000). Predictors of cigarette and alcohol susceptibility and use among Hispanic migrant adolescents. Preventive Medicine, 31, 115–123. doi:10.1006/pmed.2000.0693.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, J. A., Botvin, G. J., & Diaz, T. (2001). Linguistic acculturation associated with higher marijuana and polydrug use among Hispanic adolescents. Substance Use and Misuse, 36, 477–499. doi:10.1081/JA-100102638.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Finch, B. K., Hummer, R. A., Kolody, B., & Vega, W. A. (2001). The role of discrimination and acculturative stress in the physical health of Mexican-origin adults. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Science, 23, 399–429. doi:10.1177/0739986301234004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flannery, W. P., Reise, S. P., & Yu, J. (2001). A comparison of acculturation models. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 1035–1045. doi:10.1177/0146167201278010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fritz, M. S., & MacKinnon, D. P. (2007). Required sample size to detect the mediated effect. Psychological Science, 18, 233–239. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01882.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gil, A., Wagner, E., & Vega, W. (2000). Acculturation, familism, and alcohol use among Latino adolescent males: Longitudinal relations. Journal of Community Psychology, 28, 443–458. doi:10.1002/1520-6629(200007)28:4<443::AID-JCOP6>3.0.CO;2-A.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales, N. A., Knight, G. P., Morgan-Lopez, A. A., Saenz, D., & Sirolli, A. (2002). Acculturation and the mental health of Latino youths: An integration and critique of the literature. In J. M. Contreras, K. A. Kerns, & A. M. Neal-Barnett (Eds.), Latino children and families in the United States: Current research and future directions (pp. 45–74). Westport, CT: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilamo-Ramos, V., Jaccard, J., Johansson, M., & Turrisi, R. (2004). Binge drinking among Latino youth: Role of acculturation-related variables. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18, 135–142. doi:10.1037/0893-164X.18.2.135.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holmbeck, G. N. (1997). Toward terminological, conceptual, and statistical clarity in the study of mediators and moderators: Examples from the child-clinical and pediatric psychology literatures. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 599–610. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.65.4.599.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hovey, J. D., & King, C. A. (1996). Acculturative stress, depression, and suicidal ideation among immigrant and second-generation Latino adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35, 1183–1192. doi:10.1097/00004583-199609000-00016.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huntington, S. P. (2004). The Hispanic challenge. Foreign Policy, 141, 30–46. doi:10.2307/4147547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, L. D., O’Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2008). Demographic subgroup trends for various licit and illicit drugs, 1975–2007. Monitoring the Future Occasional Paper No. 69 [Online]. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research. Retrieved December 8, 2008, from http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/.

  • Kang, S. M. (2006). Measurement of acculturation, scale formats, and language competence: Their implications for adjustment. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 37, 669–693. doi:10.1177/0022022106292077.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kraemer, H. C., Yesavage, J. A., Taylor, J. L., & Kupfer, D. (2000). How can we learn about developmental processes from cross-sectional studies, or can we? American Journal of Psychiatry, 157, 163–171. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.157.2.163.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lara, M., Gamboa, C., Kahramanian, M. I., Morales, L. S., & Bautista, D. E. H. (2005). Acculturation and Latino health in the United States: A review of the literature and its sociopolitical context. Annual Review of Public Health, 26, 367–397. doi:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144615.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacCallum, R. C., Zhang, S., Preacher, K. J., & Rucker, D. D. (2002). On the practice of dichotomization of quantitative variables. Psychological Methods, 7, 19–40. doi:10.1037/1082-989X.7.1.19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacKinnon, D. P. (2008). Introduction to statistical mediation analysis. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marotta, S. A., & Garcia, J. G. (2003). Latinos in the United States in 2000. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Science, 25, 13–34. doi:10.1177/0739986303251693.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsiglia, F. F., Kulis, S., Hecht, M. L., & Sills, S. (2004). Ethnicity and ethnic identity as predictors of drug norms and drug use among preadolescents in the U.S. Southwest. Substance Use and Misuse, 39, 1061–1094. doi:10.1081/JA-120038030.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, B. O., & Muthén, L. K. (2007). Mplus user’s guide, version 5. Los Angeles: Muthén & Muthén.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phinney, J. S. (2003). Ethnic identity and acculturation. In K. M. Chun, P. B. Organista, & G. Marín (Eds.), Acculturation: Advances in theory, measurement, and applied research (pp. 63–82). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Phinney, J. S., Cantu, C. L., & Kurtz, D. A. (1997). Ethnic and American identity as predictors of self-esteem among African American, Latino, and White adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 26, 165–185. doi:10.1023/A:1024500514834.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ponterotto, J. G., Rao, V., Zwieg, J., Rieger, B. P., Schaefer, K., Michelakou, S., et al. (2001). The relationship of acculturation and gender to attitudes toward counseling in Italian and Greek American college students. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 7, 362–375. doi:10.1037/1099-9809.7.4.362.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Portes, A., & Rumbaut, R. G. (2001). Legacies: The story of the immigrant second generation. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prado, G., Szapocznik, J., Maldonado-Molina, M. M., Schwartz, S. J., & Pantin, H. (2008). Drug use/abuse prevalence, etiology, prevention, and treatment in Hispanic adolescents: A cultural perspective. Journal of Drug Issues, 22, 5–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raffaelli, M., Zamboanga, B. L., & Carlo, G. (2005). Acculturation status and sexuality among Cuban-American college students. Journal of American College Health, 54, 7–13. doi:10.3200/JACH.54.1.7-13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ramirez, J. R., Crano, W. D., Quist, R., Burgoon, M., Alvaro, E. M., & Grandpre, J. (2004). Acculturation, familism, parental monitoring, and knowledge as predictors of marijuana and inhalant use in adolescents. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18, 3–11. doi:10.1037/0893-164X.18.1.3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ramírez, R. R., & de la Cruz, G. P. (2003). The Hispanic population in the United States: March 2002. Current Population Report P20-545. Washington, DC: United States Census Bureau.

  • Roberts, R. E., Phinney, J. S., Masse, L. C., Chen, Y. R., Roberts, C. R., & Romero, A. (1999). The structure of ethnic identity in young adolescents from diverse ethnocultural groups. Journal of Early Adolescence, 19, 301–322. doi:10.1177/0272431699019003001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudmin, F. W. (2003). Critical history of the acculturation psychology of assimilation, separation, marginalization, and integration. Review of General Psychology, 7, 3–37. doi:10.1037/1089-2680.7.1.3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryder, A. G., Alden, L. E., & Paulhus, D. L. (2000). Is acculturation unidimensional or bidimensional? A head-to-head comparison in the prediction of personality, self identity, and adjustment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 49–65. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.79.1.49.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. J., Coatsworth, J. D., Pantin, H., Prado, G., Sharp, E. H., & Szapocznik, J. (2006a). The role of ecodevelopmental context and self-concept in depressive and externalizing symptoms in Hispanic adolescents. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 30, 359–370. doi:10.1177/0165025406066779.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. J., Montgomery, M. J., & Briones, E. (2006b). The role of identity in acculturation among immigrant people: Theoretical propositions, empirical questions, and applied recommendations. Human Development, 49, 1–30. doi:10.1159/000090300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. J., Pantin, H., Sullivan, S., Prado, G., & Szapocznik, J. (2006c). Nativity and years in the receiving culture as markers of acculturation in ethnic enclaves. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 37, 345–353. doi:10.1177/0022022106286928.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. J., & Zamboanga, B. L. (2008). Testing Berry’s model of acculturation: A confirmatory latent class approach. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 14, 275–295. doi:10.1037/a0012818.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. J., Zamboanga, B. L., & Jarvis, L. H. (2007a). Ethnic identity and acculturation in Hispanic early adolescents: Mediated relationships to academic grades, prosocial behaviors, and externalizing symptoms. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 13, 364–373. doi:10.1037/1099-9809.13.4.364.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. J., Zamboanga, B. L., Rodriguez, L., & Wang, S. C. (2007b). The structure of cultural identity in an ethnically diverse sample of emerging adults. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 29, 159–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. J., Zamboanga, B. L., Weisskirch, R. S., & Rodriguez, L. (2009). The relationships of personal and ethnic identity exploration to indices of adaptive and maladaptive psychosocial functioning. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 33, 131–144. doi:10.1177/0165025408098018.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, S., Schwartz, S. J., Prado, G., Pantin, H., Huang, S., & Szapocznik, J. (2007). A bidimensional model of acculturation for examining differences in family functioning and behavior problems in Hispanic immigrant adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 27, 405–430. doi:10.1177/0272431607302939.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swaim, R. C., & Wayman, J. C. (2004). Multidimensional self-esteem and alcohol use among Mexican American and White Non-Latino adolescents: Concurrent and prospective effects. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 74, 559–570. doi:10.1037/0002-9432.74.4.559.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tadmor, C. T., & Tetlock, P. E. (2006). Biculturalism: A model of the effects of second culture exposure on acculturation and integrative complexity. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 37, 173–190. doi:10.1177/0022022105284495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, A. B., MacKinnon, D. P., & Tein, J. Y. (2008). Tests of the three-path mediated effect. Organizational Research Methods, 11, 241–269. doi:10.1177/1094428107300344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2004). Ethnic identity and self-esteem: Examining the role of social context. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 139–146. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2003.11.006.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Vargas-Chanes, D., Garcia, C. D., & Gonzales-Backen, M. (2008). A longitudinal examination of Latino adolescents’ ethnic identity, coping with discrimination, and self-esteem. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 28, 16–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Unger, J. B., Reynolds, K., Shakib, S., Spruijt-Metz, D., Sun, P., & Johnson, C. A. (2004). Acculturation, physical activity, and fast food consumption among Asian American and Hispanic adolescents. Journal of Community Health, 29, 467–481.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vega, W. A., & Gil, A. G. (2005). Revisiting drug progression: Long-range effects of early tobacco use. Addiction, 100, 1358–1369.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zamboanga, B. L., & Carlo, G. (2006). Applying aspects of problem behavior theory to Latino youth: Theoretical, methodological, and sociocultural considerations. Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology, 34, 55–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zamboanga, B. L., Raffaelli, M., & Horton, N. J. (2006). Acculturation status and heavy alcohol use among Mexican American college students: An investigation of the moderating role of gender. Addictive Behaviors, 31, 2188–2198.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

We are thankful to Kathleen Schonfeld, Travis Goldwire, Andrew Bredow, and Dana Long for their help with data collection and data entry.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Smith College, 44 College Lane, Northampton, MA, 01063, USA

    Byron L. Zamboanga & Kathryne Van Tyne

  2. University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA

    Seth J. Schwartz

  3. Hope College, Holland, MI, USA

    Lorna Hernandez Jarvis

Authors
  1. Byron L. Zamboanga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Seth J. Schwartz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lorna Hernandez Jarvis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kathryne Van Tyne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Byron L. Zamboanga.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zamboanga, B.L., Schwartz, S.J., Jarvis, L.H. et al. Acculturation and Substance Use Among Hispanic Early Adolescents: Investigating the Mediating Roles of Acculturative Stress and Self-Esteem. J Primary Prevent 30, 315–333 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-009-0182-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-009-0182-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation