Familism values promote the positive adaptation of Latinx youth, but few studies have examined potential indirect effects associated with these positive effects. In emerging immigrant communities, where fewer resources are available to youth and families to maintain cultural values and ties, familism may be especially important. In this study of 175 primarily second-generation Latinx youth in such a community, we tested whether familism values were indirectly associated with adolescent outcomes through positive parent-child relationships, private racial/ethnic regard, meaning in life, and support seeking coping. Familism values were associated with greater academic motivation. Additionally, there were significant indirect effects in terms of positive parent-child relationships explaining the links between familism and fewer parent-reported externalizing symptoms, and for meaning in life explaining the links between familism and fewer depressive symptoms and greater academic motivation. Familism was also associated with greater support seeking coping, but this was associated with greater depressive symptoms. Our study suggests that in an emerging immigrant community familism values are primarily associated with positive adaptation through distinct mechanisms.

Coping in the context of racial-ethnic discrimination is often framed as an individualistic process, where the focus is on how the individual deals with the racialized stressor to mitigate its negative effects. However, individuals exist within social contexts including the family and coping processes may operate interdependently as well. Further, racialized stressors have the potential to disrupt the entire family system, regardless of whether the experience in that moment is shared among all its members. Despite these realities, few studies have considered how Latinx youth and their parents may cope together in the face of racial-ethnic discrimination. To address this gap, we analyzed focus group data from Mexican-origin adolescents (n = 17; M age = 12.8; 71% girls) and their parents (n = 17; M age = 42.8; 82% mothers) to explore the coping strategies used in response to racial-ethnic discrimination. An inductive thematic analysis identified a broad range of coping strategies representing both individualistic and interdependent approaches to deal with racial-ethnic discrimination. Strategies included (a) reframing (with pride) and ignoring an encounter, (b) standing up for oneself, (c) talking issues out, (d) problem-solving together, and (e) protection tactics. These findings provide evidence for the ways in which Mexican-origin families help adolescents cope with racial-ethnic discrimination and offer a glimpse as to how adolescents may help their families cope as well. Future research is needed to further explore the interdependent nature of coping as Latinx family members protect and support one another in the face of pervasive racialized stressors.

The aims of this mixed-methods study were (a) to explore quantitatively the fit of the COPE inventory (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced) for Latinx youth from immigrant families, and (b) to explore qualitatively aspects of coping in this population. Participants were 175 Latinx adolescents (51% female), most of whom were U.S.-born with immigrant parents (88%) and primarily of Mexican origin (89%). The average age was 12.9 years for the quantitative study and 15.7 years for the qualitative study. Qualitative interviews engaged a subset ( n = 14) of the full study. All participants lived in the southeastern United States and the research received institutional review board (IRB) approval. The confirmatory factor analysis of the COPE inventory was not a good fit for the sample. Thus, an exploration of alternative approaches to coping was undertaken (exploratory factor analysis [EFA] and qualitative interviews). A three-factor solution was selected as the best fit in the EFA; the researchers labeled the factors as “purposeful cognitive/behavioral engagement,” “support seeking,” and “separation/disengagement.” In the qualitative interview data, five main themes were described (relational coping, positive thinking/self-talk, planning, separating/disengaging, and behavioral coping). The researchers suggest implications for reframing coping with Latinx participants or collectivist groups, emphasizing the central role of cultural values.

Background: Parent-child racial-ethnic socialization conversations are an important tool to cultivate a sense of pride and equip youth to deal with discrimination. However, conversations about preparation for racial bias can be particularly difficult for parents to deliver effectively. Little research has been done that illuminates the types of challenges parents within and across racial-ethnic groups experience with this task. The current qualitative study addresses this gap. Design: The study draws on focus group data collected from parents and children from African American, Chinese American, Mexican American, and Indian American (South Asian) families (N = 138 individuals; 30 focus groups). Coding was done by a racially and ethnically diverse research team using inductive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Results: Youth and parents reflected on barriers to having effective preparation for bias conversations, including (a) parents' uncertainty in approaching the conversations; (b) tensions in identifying, understanding, and decoding racial discrimination; and (c) generational differences between parents and youth. Conclusion: Themes are unpacked from a social learning perspective, approaching the barriers from a person-based, context-based, and behavior-based point of view. Unique and similar experiences across the racial-ethnic groups were noted, including perspectives from U.S.-born and immigrant parents.

La pandemia por COVID-19 ha incidido fuertemente en todos los ámbitos de la sociedad, incluido el educativo. En el nivel universitario, la instrucción en línea ha generado diversos desafíos en el estudiantado para gestionar sus recursos personales y alcanzar los objetivos académicos. Desde un enfoque sociocognitivo, se realizó un estudio cuantitativo que tuvo como objetivos analizar la relación entre la autoeficacia, el estado emocional y la autorregulación del aprendizaje en el estudiantado universitario y contrastar su variación en función del género y del período académico durante el confinamiento a causa de la pandemia por COVID-19. Participaron 1665 personas procedentes de distintas universidades en México, quienes contestaron un cuestionario en línea entre junio y agosto de 2020. Los análisis de regresión indicaron que la autoeficacia para manejar situaciones estresantes, junto con emociones de desesperación, miedo y esperanza, inciden positivamente en la autorregulación del aprendizaje, mientras que el enojo lo hace negativamente. Las mujeres indicaron mayores puntajes en miedo, gratitud y compasión, así como en autorregulación del aprendizaje. El estudiantado de posgrado reportó tranquilidad, esperanza y gratitud con mayor frecuencia. Por su parte, el grupo de licenciatura de los últimos semestres (7º-10º) indicó enojo, miedo y desinterés con mayor frecuencia y el menor nivel de autoeficacia y autorregulación del aprendizaje respecto a los de períodos académicos iniciales e intermedios. A partir de estos datos, es necesario promover acciones educativas que ayuden a la población universitaria a potenciar sus capacidades personales para influir en el entorno de cara al logro académico, por medio de una toma de conciencia de las dificultades que pueden limitar su aprendizaje y con un atento control de su cognición, estado emocional y comportamiento durante y después del confinamiento.