Test of a cultural framework of parenting with Latino families of young children.

Abstract

This study examined the mental health and academic functioning of 442 4- and 5-year old children of Mexican (MA) and Dominican (DA) immigrant mothers using a cultural framework of Latino parenting. Data were collected on mothers' self-reported acculturative status, parenting practices and cultural socialization, and on children's behavioral functioning (mother- and teacher-report) and school readiness (child test). Results provide partial support for the validity of the framework in which mothers' acculturative status and socialization of respeto (a Latino cultural value of respect) and independence (a U.S. American cultural value) predict parenting practices. For both groups, English language competence was related to less socialization of respeto, and other domains of acculturative status (i.e., U.S. American/ethnic identity, and U.S. American/ethnic cultural competence) were related to more socialization of respeto and independence. Socialization of respeto was related to the use of authoritarian practices and socialization of independence was related to the use of authoritative practices. Socialization of respeto was also related to lower school readiness for DA children, whereas socialization of independence was related to higher school readiness for MA children. Independence was also related to higher teacher-rated externalizing problems for MA children. For both groups, authoritarian parenting was associated with more parent-reported internalizing and externalizing problems. The discussion focuses on ethnic subgroup differences and similarities to further understanding of Latino parenting from a cultural perspective.

Parent Training and Skill Acquisition and Utilization Among Spanish- and English-Speaking Latino Families

“…Nevertheless, these findings may reflect the influence of the cultural variable respeto in parent-training interventions with Latino families. For example, it is a priority for Latino mothers to ensure their children obey rules and respect authority figures (Calzada et al 2012), so they might use commands and questions to inculcate these cultural practices from an early age. This hypothesis is consistent with research on the behavioral manifestations of respeto (e.g., giving orders and not expecting any questioning, asking questions as a way to give commands) and how Latino mothers teach their children these practices (Calzada et al 2010).…”

“…Additionally, there is evidence that among Latino families the socialization of respeto is influenced by language preference, where Spanish speakers used more respeto -related practices compared to English speakers (Calzada et al 2012). Nevertheless, more empirical research is needed to understand whether the use of commands and questions in Latino families promote the same type of negative interactions described among non-Latino White families.…”

“…For instance, widely referenced authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive parenting styles defined by Baumrind do not fully capture the types of interactions among Latino families, such as interactions that can be intrusive and warm simultaneously (Calzada and Eyberg 2002; Calzada et al 2010, 2012; Livas-Dlott et al 2010). Furthermore, these parenting practices are influenced by acculturation and adherence to cultural values such as respeto , which refers to the empathy and respect that children are expected to show toward authority figures (e.g., caregivers, teachers), and familismo , which is the strong bonds among the nuclear and extended family members (Barker et al 2010; Calzada and Eyberg 2002; Calzada et al 2010, 2012; Livas-Dlott et al 2010). This acculturative process has been conceptualized as a bidirectional progression of adopting new values, customs, and behaviors from a culture-receiving country, as well as simultaneously retaining those from the culture of origin (Berry 2003).…”

“…This acculturative process has been conceptualized as a bidirectional progression of adopting new values, customs, and behaviors from a culture-receiving country, as well as simultaneously retaining those from the culture of origin (Berry 2003). Among Latino families, language preference (Spanish vs. English) seems to be highly associated with level of acculturation and higher adherence to respeto - and familismo -related parenting practices (Calzada et al 2012). Moreover, the use of language as a proxy for level of acculturation has been demonstrated to predict differences between Latino families (Berdahl and Torres Stone 2009; Ceballo and Hurd 2008; Kim et al 2015).…”

Low-Income Central American Immigrant Mothers' Goals and Their Children's Classroom Competencies in Preschool

“…Furthermore, among low-income Mexican and Dominican immigrant families, parents' ratings of the importance of socialization of respeto were unrelated to children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors as rated by teachers but were negatively related to school readiness. At the same time, parents' ratings of the importance of socialization of independence predicted more externalizing problems for children but better school readiness (Calzada, Huang, Anicama, Fernandez, & Brotman, 2012). Finally, Barbarin et al (2008) found that Latino mothers' emphases on social competence and self-regulation for kindergarten readiness were unrelated to child social behavior in the classroom.…”