Search

Using a predominately Mexican-origin Latino sample of 5th grade students from the Southwestern United States, this study examined the relative effects of perceived discrimination and acculturation stress on substance use, and it assessed whether these effects were moderated by linguistic acculturation or time in the United States. Although rates of substance use were generally low in the sample, given the young age of the participants, over half (59%) of the sample perceived some discrimination, and almost half (47%) experienced some acculturation stress. Spanish-dominant and bilingual youth perceived more discrimination than English-dominant youth, whereas youth who have been in the United States five or fewer years perceived more discrimination than youth with more time in the United States. Youth who were Spanish-dominant or were recent arrivals experienced the most acculturation stress, with levels declining as linguistic acculturation and time in the United States increased. Multiple regression estimates indicated that perceived discrimination was associated with larger amounts and higher frequency of recent substance use and an array of substance use attitudes, such as stronger intentions to use substances, espousal of pro-drug norms, more positive substance use expectancies, and peer approval of substance use. Although acculturation stress was not associated with substance use, it was positively associated with several substance use attitudes, which are known antecedents of actual use. With a few exceptions, linguistic acculturation and time in the United States did not moderate the effects of perceived discrimination or acculturation stress. (Contains 2 tables and 2 notes.)

Investigated the roles of gender labels and gender identity in predicting drug use among diverse, urban middle school students, examining nurturant femininity, confident masculinity, and dominant masculinity. Overall, gender labels and gender identity were important predictors of drug use. Gender labels were more salient in explaining differences in drug use than two of the three gender identity measures. (Contains references.) (SM)

Examines how strength of ethnic identity, multiethnic identity, and other indicators of biculturalism relate to the drug use norms of urban American Indian middle school students. Results indicate that students who had a more intense sense of ethnic pride adhered more strongly to certain antidrug norms than those who did not. (Contains 42 references and 2 tables.) (GCP)

Explores the drug use patterns of a sample of Southwestern Mexican American middle school students using language preference as a marker of acculturation status. Spanish monolingual students were found to use significantly less alcohol and other drugs than bilingual or English dominant students. Recommendations for social work practice are framed within the identified language and acculturation continuum. (Contains 47 references and 2 tables.) (GCP)

Surveys of 2,125 seventh-graders in eight urban Southwestern schools and interviews with 60 of them examined the role of family and school in Latino/a preadolescent substance use. Most respondents did not use hard drugs or alcohol. Strong ties to parents and school were protective factors. Recommendations for social work interventions that support Latino youth resiliency are discussed. (Contains 68 references.) (TD)

Contrasted role of ethnic labels and identity in predicting drug use among seventh graders. Found that minority students with strong ethnic pride reported less drug use/exposure than those with weak pride; ethnically proud White students reported more. Minority students who viewed themselves as consistent with their ethnic group reported more drug use/exposure than nonconsistent minority students; Whites reported less. (Author/KB)

Article presents findings of a qualitative study conducted with a group of 19 American Indian students. Participants in small gender-specific focus groups reported on strategies most commonly used to avoid offers of alcohol and other drugs. Primary strategies identified were redirecting, avoiding/leaving, and refusing. Implications for culturally-based substance abuse prevention are discussed; suggestions for incorporation of these strategies are made. (Contains 43 references.) (Author)

Fifty-five schools implemented substance abuse prevention programs, some received additional support from an outside innovator. Findings are interpreted from an ecological systems approach and in relationship to development and environment factors. Theoretical and programmatic implications are discussed, and recommendations for school social workers are examined. (Author/MKA)

Describes a model that uses a culturally grounded approach to group social work in which the whole child is supported. Based on a developmental approach, the model uses the performing arts to help students express themselves. Looks at preplanning, group formation, and the various stages of implementation. Discusses implications. (RJM)

The effects of neighbourhood promoting cigarette and alcohol use among the Latino and Hispanic youths are investigated.

Among a predominately Mexican and Mexican American sample of preadolescents, religiosity protected against lifetime alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use and recent alcohol and cigarette use when religious affiliation was controlled. When religiosity was controlled, however, adolescents with no religious affiliation and adolescents who were religiously affiliated reported similar substance use outcomes. Interaction effects demonstrated that the protective effect of greater religiosity operated more strongly in some religions than in others for selected outcomes. Overall, the impact of religiosity on reported drug use did not differ significantly for more and less acculturated Latino youth. Keywords: adolescents, drug use, religiosity, Mexican American, acculturation

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. 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. 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. 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This study explores the views of nonprofit agency board members about current status and issues related to board diversity. Trends in agency growth and complexity and turbulence in agency [...]