The relationship between ethnic-racial socialization and adolescent substance use: An examination of social learning as a causal mechanism

Abstract

The presence of parental socialization messages relevant to a child's race/ethnicity--ethnic-racial socialization (ERS)--have been found to be an important predictor of developmental outcomes. However, scholars have recently called for greater theoretical clarification, citing the need for better understanding of how the effects of ethnic-racial socialization messages differ by dimension and what causal mechanisms underlie this relationship. Using survey data from 269 Southern California high school students, this study tested a theoretical model examining how 3 dimensions of ERS differentially relate to adolescent substance use, and how much these links are mediated by peer substance use social learning (Akers, 2009). Using structural equation modeling, we cross-sectionally and longitudinally tested the pathways between ERS and peer substance use social learning and between peer social learning and substance use. We found that 2 of the 3 dimensions of ERS were related to substance use. Cultural socialization was associated with lower substance use, and promotion of mistrust was associated with greater substance use. Both effects were indirect and mediated by peer substance use social learning. These results were replicated in a separate analysis of the largest ethnic subsample (Latinos). Ethnic-racial socialization messages that stress pride in one's ethnic group and the development of one's ethnic identity (cultural socialization) may be a protective factor against future substance use by inhibiting the association with substance-using peers, whereas messages that stress distrust of other ethnic groups (promotion of mistrust) may be a risk factor against future substance use by promoting the association with substance-using peers.

Ethnic–Racial Socialization Practices Among Latino Immigrant Families: A Latent Profile Analysis

“…Adapt is a form of avoidant coping that can be less helpful for relieving distress than active coping (e.g., Marroquín, Fontes, Scilletta, & Miranda, 2009;Martin, Wolter, Klaas, & Wood, 2010;Vanhalst, Luyckx, Teppers, & Goossens, 2012). Promotion of mistrust has been associated with negative child outcomes (Grindal & Nieri, 2015a, 2015b.…”

Cultural socialization and alcohol use: The mediating role of alcohol expectancies among racial/ethnic minority youth

“…Yet, Thompson, Goodman, and Kwate (2016) found among a sample of African American adults a non-significant effect of childhood racial socialization from parents, peers, and other adults on tobacco and alcohol use. However, these different findings between the Grindal and Nieri (2016) study and the Thompson et al (2016) study may due to several factors, including the age range of the sample and how cultural socialization was measured. Within the Grindal and Nieri (2016) study, only items related to cultural socialization were included in the measurement.…”

“…Further, among the available literature regarding substance use, findings are mixed. For example, Grindal and Nieri (2016) found among a sample of 9th graders that higher levels of cultural socialization were associated with lower rates of cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use. Yet, Thompson, Goodman, and Kwate (2016) found among a sample of African American adults a non-significant effect of childhood racial socialization from parents, peers, and other adults on tobacco and alcohol use.…”

The Intersection of Racial–Ethnic Socialization and Adolescence: A Closer Examination at Stage‐Salient Issues

“…There is considerable variability regarding the extent to which RES messages may protect adolescents of color from engagement in risk behaviors. These buffering effects may depend on a host of factors, including parent-child relationship quality (Grindal & Nieri, 2016), gender, level of acculturation (Cooper & McLoyd, 2011), and relative frequencies of certain types of RES messages (Choi, Tan, Yasui, & Pekelnicky, 2014). For example, alerting youth to racial biases, discrimination, and racial barriers may be maladaptive to adolescent selfesteem and behavioral outcomes (Elmore & Gaylord-Harden, 2012), likely if these messages are not balanced with those that promote cultural pride (Davis, Smith Bynum, Saleem, Francois, & Lambert, 2017;Harris-Britt, Valrie, Kurtz-Costes, & Rowley, 2007;Neblett, Smalls, Ford, Nguyên, & Sellers, 2009), or if they are delivered in the absence of other strategies for coping with these stressors (e.g., Harris-Britt et al, 2007;Neblett et al, 2009).…”

“…Other work has shown that cultural socialization messages were associated with lower substance use and promotion of mistrust messages were associated with greater substance use (Derlan & Umaña-Taylor, 2015). These associations may occur indirectly according to the extent to which adolescents are exposed to peer attitudes or behaviors that are supportive of substance use (e.g., Grindal & Nieri, 2016). Theoretically, RES messages may serve to bolster a strong self-concept, thereby protecting youth from associating with deviant peers (Neblett, Terzian, & Harriott, 2010).…”