Alcohol initiation among recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents: Roles of acculturation and sociocultural stress.

Abstract

There is a growing recognition for the need for research to explore the unique and interactive effects of acculturation and sociocultural stress on alcohol initiation. Building on this research agenda, the current study sought to explore the independent and interactive effects of acculturation (i.e., heritage and U.S. cultural practices and identification) and sociocultural stress (i.e., perceived discrimination, perceived context of reception, and bicultural stress) on alcohol initiation among recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents. Data were taken from a six-wave longitudinal study with 302 recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents (53% boys; Mage=14.51 years at baseline; range 14-17 years) adolescents and their families. Discrete-time survival models indicated that none of the acculturation indicators directly predicted alcohol initiation. Sociocultural stress, and specifically bicultural stress, predicted alcohol initiation. There were significant interactions between acculturation and sociocultural stress in predicting alcohol initiation. Further research considering multiple components of acculturation and sociocultural stressors is needed to broaden our understanding of the potential role of sociocultural processes in alcohol initiation among Hispanic youth.

Toward a micro‐level perspective on acculturation among U.S. Hispanic college students: A daily diary study

“…The present study used a 12-day diary design (see Meca et al, 2019;Schwartz et al, 2019, for further details).…”

“…The study of acculturation, as an identity‐based process, may capitalize on Lichtwarck‐Aschoff et al's (2009) distinction between micro and macro‐level changes. In addition to the longer‐term changes that have traditionally been examined, acculturation has also been hypothesized to emerge through day‐to‐day interactions (Meca et al, 2019). Following Lichtwarck‐Aschoff et al, whereas the acculturation processes that have typically been studied tend to be slow to change, micro‐level acculturation processes may be far more dynamic and rapidly changing.…”

“…The present study used a 12‐day diary design (see Meca et al, 2019; Schwartz et al, 2019, for further details). Psychosocial outcomes were measured on the first (Day 1) and last (Day 12) study days, and the daily measurement portion occurred between Days 2 and 11.…”

“…Ethnic identity emerged as a significant negative predictor of anxiety and depressive symptoms within each study day. Most recently, Meca et al (2019) examined between-person variability in the daily associations of ethnic and U.S. belonging with well-being. Results not only indicated significant changes (i.e., fluctuations) in ethnic and U.S. belonging on a daily basis, but also indicated significant variability in the average within-person association between ethnic identity and well-being.…”

Alcohol use severity, depressive symptoms, and optimism among Hispanics: Examining the immigrant paradox in a serial mediation model

“…Although the underlying mechanisms that explain the immigrant paradox are not well understood, several hypotheses have been advanced (Salas‐Wright & Schwartz, 2019). For example, acculturative stress theorists posit that the adversity that U.S.‐born Hispanics face while navigating multiple cultures produces stress that elicits alcohol use as a means of coping with such stress (Meca et al, 2019). Assimilation theorists suggest that Hispanics’ drinking patterns change to mirror the drinking norms of the mainstream culture as they assimilate into the dominant culture (Caetano & Clark, 2003).…”