Bullying represents a significant problem in U.S. schools, affecting approximately one in three children. The authors discuss the dynamics, types, characteristics, and consequences of school bullying. Risk factors for engaging in bullying, being bullied, and becoming both a bully and a victim are discussed. Research indicates that bullying has serious long-term negative effects on bullies, victims, and victims who tum to bullying as a coping strategy. Longitudinal relationships between childhood bullying and victimization and adult mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, substance use, and conduct disorders are outlined. Prevention programs, and their relative efficacy from empirical evaluations, are also presented. Finally, implications for school-based prevention services are provided.

This study investigated how adolescent and parent acculturation (culture-of-origin and U.S. cultural involvement, biculturalism, acculturation conflicts, and parent-adolescent acculturation gaps) influenced family dynamics (family cohesion, adaptability, familism, and parent-adolescent conflict) in a sample of 402 Latino families from North Carolina and Arizona. Multiple regression and hierarchical linear models suggested that culture-oforigin involvement and biculturalism were cultural assets related to positive outcomes, whereas acculturation conflict was inversely related to positive family dynamics and positively related to parent-adolescent conflict. Parent-adolescent acculturation gaps were inversely associated with family cohesion, adaptability, and familism but were unrelated to parent-adolescent conflict. Limitations and implications for practice are discussed.

This study explored how immigration influenced Mexican family relationships. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 adolescents and 14 parents from 10 undocumented Mexican families. Participants immigrated to North Carolina within the past 7 years. A conceptual model derived from the data using grounded theory methods suggested that, after immigration, parents had less time to spend with children because of demanding new jobs and mothers entering the work force. Decreased time as a family was associated with adolescents' loneliness, isolation, and risk-taking behavior. In response to perceived environmental threats, Mexican parents became authoritarian, precipitating parent-adolescent conflict. Parent-adolescent acculturation gaps were viewed as an asset as adolescents helped parents navigate within the new cultural system. Families coped with postimmigration changes by maintaining high levels of familism and enacting cultural traditions.

This investigation examined acculturation risk factors and cultural assets, internalizing behavioral problems, and self-esteem in 323 Latino adolescents living in North Carolina. Multiple regression analyses revealed two risk factors-perceived discrimination and parent-adolescent conflict-as highly significant predictors of adolescent internalizing problems and low self-esteem. Adolescents who were highly involved in Latino culture and who experienced high parent-adolescent conflict were found particularly at risk for internalizing problems. Biculturalism and familism were cultural assets found associated with fewer internalizing problems and higher self-esteem. For internalizing problems, familism's protective effect was mediated by parent-adolescent conflict. Implications were discussed.

The specific aim of this investigation was to map cultural factors associated with aggressive behavior in Latino adolescents. Interviews were conducted with a sample of 481 foreign- and U.S.-born Latino adolescents living in North Carolina and Arizona. Structural Equation Modeling was used to validate a conceptual model linking adolescent and parent culture-of-origin and U.S. cultural involvement, acculturation conflicts, and perceived discrimination to family processes (familism and parent-adolescent conflict) and adolescent aggression. Parent-adolescent conflict was the strongest cultural risk factor followed by perceived discrimination. Familism and adolescent culture-of-origin involvement were key cultural assets associated with less aggressive behavior. Exploratory mediation analyses suggested that familism and parent-adolescent conflict mediated the effects of acculturation conflicts, parent and adolescent culture-of-origin involvement, and parent U.S. cultural involvement on adolescent aggression. Implications for prevention programming were discussed.