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Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based meditation interventions (MBMIs) among Latino youth. Furthermore, joint parent–child participation in such programs is rare. Utilizing a community-based participatory research approach, this study evaluated the feasibility of a pilot bilingual MBMI among Latino adolescents and their parents in Los Angeles. Qualitative interviews were conducted to assess the practicality, implementation, and acceptability of the program. Challenges to attendance included health issues or conflicts with work. Several adolescents struggled with distractions from peers. However, overall responses suggest that parents and children found the program convenient and enjoyable, and perceived benefits from the curriculum. This study supports the feasibility of a MBMI among Latino family dyads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although personal identity development has been conceptualized as a source of psychological stability and protective against depressive symptoms among Hispanic immigrants, there remains ambiguity regarding the directional relationship between identity development and depression. To address this limitation, the current study sought to establish directionality between identity development and depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 302 recent (<5 years) immigrant Hispanic adolescents (53.3% boys; Mage = 14.51 years at baseline; SD = 0.88 years) from Miami and Los Angeles who participated in a longitudinal study. The findings suggested a bidirectional relationship between identity and depressive symptoms such that identity coherence negatively predicted depressive symptoms, yet depressive symptoms also negatively predicted coherence and positively predicted subsequent identity confusion. Findings not only provide further evidence for the protective role of identity development during times of acute cultural transitions, but also emphasize the need for research to examine how depressive symptoms, and psychopathology more broadly, may interfere with establishing a sense of self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Youth from continuation high schools report greater substance use and sensation-seeking than youth from regular high schools, yet their long-term consequences on age at sexual onset and the number of sexual partners are unknown. Objective: To examine substance use, sensation-seeking and sexual behaviors by gender and race/ethnicity and the effects of substance use and sensation-seeking in adolescence on age at sexual initiation and numbers of sexual partners by young adulthood. Methods: Baseline and 4-year follow-up data on youth from 14 continuation high schools in Southern California who participated in a drug abuse prevention intervention were analyzed. Structural equation modeling assessed whether or not substance use or sensation-seeking in adolescence predicted age at sexual onset and numbers of sexual partners by young adulthood. Results: Latinos had lower sensation-seeking and frequency of substance use and a later age at sexual onset than non-Latinos. Males were more likely than females to have multiple lifetime and recent sexual partners. The effects of adolescent substance use on the number of sexual partners by young adulthood were mediated fully by their age at sexual initiation. Sensation-seeking had no direct or indirect effects on sexual behaviors. Conclusions/Importance: Factors leading to and actual sexual risk behaviors among youth from continuation high schools vary by race/ethnicity and gender. Targeting these antecedent factors by race/ethnicity and gender may improve prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows that vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is one of the most effective methods for reducing risk for cervical cancer; it also protects against other HPV-related cancers. Controversies exist regarding HPV vaccination in several communities; which may in part explain why although rates of HPV vaccination are increasing nationwide, Los Angeles County (LAC) data show that many adolescents are still not vaccinated. These adolescents remain at high-risk for infection. Using community-based participatory principles, we conducted an environmental scan that included a literature review, the development of a community advisory board, community feedback from HPV community meetings, and interviews with stakeholders to understand attitudes toward HPV vaccination and their impact in follow through with HPV vaccines. Twenty-eight key stakeholders participated in our coalition comprised of community organizations and clinics with strong ties to the local community. This is the only coalition dedicated exclusively to improving HPV vaccine uptake in LAC. Of these, twenty-one participated in an environmental scan via qualitative interviews about HPV vaccination programs, service delivery priorities, and proposed steps to increase HPV vaccination uptake in LAC. The environmental scan revealed targets for future efforts, barriers to HPV uptake, and next steps for improving local HPV vaccination uptake rates. The environmental scan also identified local HPV vaccination interventions and resources. Although LAC has developed important efforts for vaccination, some interventions are no longer being implemented due to lack of funds; others have not been evaluated with sufficient outcome data. The risk for cervical and other HPV-related cancers could be greatly reduced in LAC if a multilevel, multicultural, and multilingual approach is taken to better understand rates of HPV vaccination uptake, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities and LGBTQ youth. Our environmental scan provides guidance on attitudes toward vaccination, and how best to address the needs of LAC families and providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parent-adolescent discrepancies in family functioning play an important role in HIV risk behaviors among adolescents, yet longitudinal research with recent immigrant Hispanic families remains limited. This study tested the effects of trajectories of parent-adolescent family functioning discrepancies on HIV risk behaviors among recent-immigrant Hispanic adolescents. Additionally, we examined whether and to what extent trajectories of parent-adolescent family functioning discrepancies vary as a function of gender. We assessed family functioning of 302 Hispanic adolescents (47 % female) and their parent (70 % female) at six time points over a three-year period and computed latent discrepancy scores between parent and adolescent reports at each timepoint. Additionally, adolescents completed measures of sexual risk behaviors and alcohol use. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to determine the feasibility of collapsing parent and adolescent reported family functioning indicators onto a single latent discrepancy variable, tested model invariance over time, and conducted growth mixture modeling (GMM). GMM yielded a three-class solution for discrepancies: High- Increasing, High- Stable, and Low- Stable. Relative to the Low- Stable class, parent-adolescent dyads in the High- Increasing and High- Stable classes were at greater risk for adolescents reporting sexual debut at time 6. Additionally, the High- Stable class was at greater risk, relative to the Low- Stable class, in terms of adolescent lifetime alcohol use at 30 months post-baseline. Multiple group GMM indicated that trajectories of parent-adolescent family functioning trajectories did not vary by gender. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-identification with ethnic-specific labels may indicate successful ethnic identity formation, which could protect against substance use. Alternatively, it might indicate affiliation with oppositional subcultures, a potential risk factor. This study examined longitudinal associations between ethnic labels and substance use among 1,575 Hispanic adolescents in Los Angeles. Adolescents who identified as Cholo or La Raza in 9th grade were at increased risk of past-month substance use in 11th grade. Associations were similar across gender and were not confounded by socioeconomic status, ethnic identity development, acculturation, or language use. Targeted prevention interventions for adolescents who identify with these subcultures may be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Many studies have addressed the associations between stressful life events and adolescent smoking. Few studies, however, have examined gender differences, specifically with multicultural samples. This longitudinal study examines the relationship between 6 stress subscales and smoking behaviors 716 multicultural U.S. adolescents living in the greater Los Angeles area in 2000-2001. At baseline the ethnic break-down of the sample was 63% Latino and 26% Asian/PI and 70% were 11 years of age. Negative personal events were associated with lifetime smoking and negative school events were associated with intentions to smoke. Stratification of the sample by gender indicated that gender confounded the relationship between negative personal stress and lifetime smoking and negative school stress, positive personal stress and intentions to smoke. Two significant interactions were found. Findings indicate there are differential effects of stressful events between genders which may lead to smoking experimentation or intentions to smoke. Implications and limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focus groups were conducted with adolescents and parents as part of a larger study to understand the connection between acculturation and Hispanic/Latino adolescent substance use. Parents (n= 18) were all mothers and had an average age of 42 years. Students (n = 16) were 62% female and had an average age of 14 years. Results are summarized in five categories: culture/ethnic identity, acculturation, parent-child conflict/relationships, gender, and adolescent substance use. Parents and adolescents held similar views in some areas (e.g., pride in ethnic identity and changes in language use), but diverged in others (e.g., indicators of acculturation, gender differences in parenting, and ideas of freedom and independence). Participants in the focus groups did not endorse the association between acculturation and substance use that has been detected in quantitative studies. Implications for substance use prevention and treatment programs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have documented associations between perceptions of racial/ethnic discrimination and adverse health outcomes among Hispanics and other minority groups. However, these studies have not examined change in perceived discrimination over the lifecourse and whether trajectories of perceived discrimination affect outcomes differently. This study of 2722 Hispanic students identified trajectories of perceived discrimination from 9th grade through emerging adulthood (approximately ages 14-23), and compared these trajectory groups on substance use outcomes. Four distinct trajectory groups were identified: (1) low and stable discrimination, (2) increasing discrimination, (3) initially high but decreasing discrimination, and (4) high and stable discrimination. Compared with the low and stable discrimination group, the groups that experienced higher levels of discrimination were at higher risk of cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use. Specifically, the group with increasing discrimination (group 2) had a higher risk of alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use; the group with initially high but decreasing discrimination (group 3) had a higher risk of cigarette smoking and alcohol use; and the group with high and stable discrimination (group 4) had a higher risk of alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use. Results indicate that experiencing discrimination during adolescence, emerging adulthood, or both, regardless of whether the discrimination increases or decreases, could place Hispanic youth at risk for substance use. Health education programs are needed to help Hispanic youth learn effective skills to cope with discrimination without resorting to substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study explored whether cultural identity predicts health lifestyle behaviors.Method: Participants included 302 recently immigrated (<5 years in the U.S.) Latinx adolescents (53% boys; mean age 14.51 years at baseline) from Miami and Los Angeles. Participants completed cultural identity measures at baseline and 1-year post baseline. A path analysis was used to estimate associations between cultural identities (ethnic, national, and bicultural) and health lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, diet, and sleep hygiene).Results: Ethnic identity positively predicted diet. Results also indicated a significant interaction between ethnic and national identity on sleep hygiene. Specifically, when national identity was high (+1 SD), ethnic identity positively predicted sleep hygiene.Conclusion: This study focuses on health lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity, diet, and sleep hygiene in this population. Results highlight the need to explore the protective nature of cultural identity retention in relation to health lifestyle behaviors in Latinx adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study examined directionality between personal (i.e., coherence and confusion) and cultural identity (i.e., ethnic and U.S.) as well as their additive effects on psychosocial functioning in a sample of recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents.Method: The sample consisted of 302 recent (<5 years) immigrant Hispanic adolescents (53% boys; Mage = 14.51 years at baseline; SD = .88 years) from Miami and Los Angeles who participated in a longitudinal study.Results: Results indicated a bidirectional relationship between personal identity coherence and both ethnic and U.S. identity. Ethnic and U.S. affirmation/commitment (A/C) positively and indirectly predicted optimism and negatively predicted rule breaking and aggression through coherence. However, confusion predicted lower self-esteem and optimism and higher depressive symptoms, rule breaking, unprotected sex, and cigarette use. Results further indicated significant site differences. In Los Angeles (but not Miami), ethnic A/C also negatively predicted confusion.Conclusion: Given the direct effects of coherence and confusion on nearly every outcome, it may be beneficial for interventions to target personal identity. However, in contexts such as Los Angeles, which has at least some ambivalence toward recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents, it may be more beneficial for interventions to also target cultural identity to reduce confusion and thus promote positive development. (PsycINFO Database Record [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article reports on the associations between acculturation and substance use among 198 ninth-grade Southern California adolescents (mean age=13.8 years). Substance use measures included 30-day (current) and lifetime use of alcohol and other drugs. Acculturation was measured using the Acculturation, Habits, and Interests Multicultural Scale for Adolescents (AHIMSA) acculturation scale, a multi-dimensional acculturation scale yielding four acculturation strategy scores. Linear regression analyses evaluated the association between acculturation on alcohol and drug use, adjusting for several covariates. Results revealed that the assimilation acculturation strategy was significantly, but negatively associated with current alcohol use, especially among males. The separation acculturation strategy was significantly and positively associated with current alcohol use, especially among females. Marginalization was associated with greater risk for lifetime alcohol and drug use, especially among males, and a greater risk of current drug use among females. The social influence covariates were predictive of both current and lifetime alcohol and drug use. Future studies should incorporate multidimensional acculturation scales in adolescent substance use to understand how different acculturation strategies impact different populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]