Sampling and recruitment in studies of cultural influences on adjustment: A case study with Mexican Americans.

Abstract

Research examining how cultural factors affect adjustment of ethnic minority individuals would be strengthened if study samples better represented the diversity within these populations. To recruit a representative sample of Mexican American families, the authors implemented a multiple-step process that included sampling communities to represent diversity in cultural and economic conditions, recruiting participants through schools, using culturally attractive recruitment processes, conducting interviews in participants' homes, and providing a financial incentive. The result was a sample of 750 families that were diverse in cultural orientation, social class, and type of residential communities and were similar to the census description of this population. Thus, using culturally appropriate adaptations to common recruitment strategies makes it possible to recruit representative samples of Mexican Americans.

Effortful control and early academic achievement of Chinese American children in immigrant families

“…Parents filled out a demographic survey during the lab assessment. Questions regarding the mother's and the father's highest levels of education (number of years) and total family income in the past year were adapted from the Family Demographics and Migration History Questionnaires used in a large study of adolescents from immigrant families (Roosa et al, 2008). Authoritative and authoritarian parenting.…”

The Mexican American Cultural Values Scale for Adolescents and Adults

“…The purpose of this research was to examine the psychometric properties of a measure of culturally related values in samples of Mexican American adolescents and adults from initial assessments conducted in two large studies of Mexican American families ( Puentes ; Gonzales, Dumka, Mauricio, & Germán, 2007; La Familia ; Roosa et al, 2008) . The Mexican American Cultural Values Scales (MACVS) items were generated from focus groups of Mexican Americans (adolescents, mothers, and fathers) from a major metropolitan area, a suburban area, a rural mining town, and a Mexican border town in the southwest.…”

Anxiety Symptoms Account for the Link between Reactive Aggression and Sleep Problems Among Latino Adolescents

“…It would also be beneficial to evaluate associations in aggressive and treatment seeking samples, as the magnitude of associations will likely be stronger when these problem behaviors are more evident. Moreover, there are factors (e.g., acculturation, country of origin) likely relevant to the Latino population that were not considered in the current study; additional research should consider such factors to better understand within-group differences (Roosa et al 2008). Additionally, for many students English was not their first language, and the current study was not able to evaluate if this had any influence on interpretation of questions and student responses.…”