Stress and Multiple Substance Use Behaviors Among Hispanic Adolescents

Abstract

Hispanic adolescents reported a higher annual prevalence of use of nearly all major drugs compared to non-Hispanic White and African American adolescents. Cultural or minority stressors, such as those related to the acculturation process, discrimination, immigration, poverty, and community violence, have been implicated in these outcomes. Unfortunately, few studies have examined how these stressors may have a differential or additive effect when considered simultaneously. The current study examined the relation between stress and multiple substance use behaviors in a sample of Hispanic adolescents (n=1036), age 11–19 years old. Latent class analysis identified subgroups of Hispanic adolescents based on combinations of substance use behaviors. General linear models were used to examine mean differences by class among the eight domains of stress. Fit statistics revealed a six-class structure: no substance use risk, predominately alcohol use, low polysubstance use, high polysubstance use, illicit drug use, and predominately marijuana use. Differences in stress across the six classes were identified for four of the eight domains: family economic, acculturation gap, community and gang, and family and drug stress. The effect sizes revealed the largest mean differences in stress between the no substance use group and the two polysubstance use groups and between the no risk group and alcohol use group. The findings from this study support the use of interventions that target stress to affect multiple substance use behaviors in Hispanic adolescents.

Psychosocial Correlates and Early Substance Abuse Associated With Lifetime Hallucinogen Use Among Hispanic Young Adults

“…A significant relationship was found between previous marijuana use and lifetime hallucinogen use. Previous research has shown that Hispanics tend to use marijuana more frequently than their other ethnic counterparts (Cabriales et al, 2013; Cardoso, Goldbach, Cervantes, & Swank, 2016; Oluwoye, Nabors, Yockey, & Hardee, 2016) due to sociocultural factors (e.g., acculturative stress, discrimination). Studies have revealed that those who used marijuana before the age of 21 frequently transition to illicit substance use (Fergusson & Horwood, 2000).…”

Advances in Substance Abuse Prevention Practice and Science for Hispanic/Latinos

“…Factors that drive the substance use behaviors of Hispanic youth may be quite similar to those found in the general population of youth, yet there are unique challenges, stressors, and other risk factors that play a role in the development of substance use among Hispanic/Latino youth [10]. Cultural values and language shifts, pre-and post-migration trauma, ethnic identified problems, and parent-child "acculturation gaps" are implicated in the onset of substance use in this growing population.…”

“…Recently, Cervantes and colleagues identified eight culturally based stress risk domains commonly experienced by Latino adolescents, ranging from acculturation gaps to family immigration-related stress [42]. Higher scores of cultural stress in these life domains were significantly related to both internalizing and externalizing behavioral health problems in Latino adolescents including polysubstance use [10,42]. Effective interventions targeting immigration-related stress among Hispanics must promote healthy coping strategies for acculturation-and immigration-based stressors [43].…”

The Consequences of Friend-Related Stress Across Early Adolescence

“…Although friends can be a source of support, conflict and general challenges managing relationships with friends and other important others can also be a stressor, straining adolescent functioning. The larger literature on life stressors during adolescence suggests that stress exposure is linked to greater internalizing and externalizing symptoms and higher substance use (Cardoso, Goldbach, Cervantes, & Swank, 2016; Grant, Compas, Thurm, McMahon, & Gipson, 2004; Hamilton et al, 2016). Although less commonly investigated, there is evidence that greater peer- and friend-related stress is associated with more negative relational self-views and greater social disengagement (Caldwell, Rudolph, Troop-Gordon, & Kim, 2004).…”