Family conflict and intragroup marginalization as predictors of acculturative stress in Latino college students.

Abstract

This study examined the impact of family conflict and intragroup marginalization on acculturative stress in 188 bicultural Latino college students. Results showed that low parental income, low acculturation, perceived family conflict, and perceived intragroup marginalization were related to higher acculturative stress for participants. Intragroup marginalization accounted for a statistically significant proportion of the variance in acculturative stress after all variables were controlled. The findings emphasize the need to recognize culture-specific stressors of college students. Implications for mental health providers are discussed.

The Role of Intragroup Marginalization in Latino College Student Adjustment

“…For example, a recent study found increased levels of acculturative stress for bicultural Latino college students who experienced intragroup marginalization (Castillo et al 2008). Furthermore, a study by Benet-Martínez and Haritatos (2005) found that bicultural students who perceived the heritage culture and dominant culture as incompatible were significantly more likely to experience stress, from being perceived by their heritage culture group members as being "too White" or by the dominant group members as "too ethnic."…”

“…described this type of intragroup marginalization as homeostatic pressure, which involves family members pressuring the acculturating individual to not change and requesting the person to maintain traditional heritage culture values and behaviors. Similar to marginalization from peers, intragroup marginalization from family has also been shown to predict family conflict and acculturative stress in Latino college students (Castillo et al 2008).…”

“…For instance, Latino students who exhibit behaviors associated with the separation strategy may be less likely to experience intragroup marginalization than those who adopt an assimilation strategy. However, Latino students who adopt a bicultural strategy may experience marginalization from heritage culture group members depending on the student's ability to successfully navigate both the college culture and their own (Benet-Martínez and Haritatos 2005; Castillo et al 2008).…”

“…Because the acculturation strategy that an individual chooses plays an important role in changing or modifying her or his central beliefs, values, and behaviors, it may also have important implications on the person's relationships with members of their heritage culture group, such as family and peers. That is, contextual pressures that are placed on the individual do not make the choice of acculturation strategy easy or without consequence, particularly when pressure comes from heritage culture group members to maintain the values and traditions of that culture (Castillo et al 2008).…”

“…Castillo and colleagues assert that one acculturative stressor that some Latinos may face involves tensions from within the heritage culture group (Castillo et al 2008).…”