- P.O.Box 210006
Administration Building #407
Tucson, Arizona 85719 - 520-626-0202
Andrea Romero
University of Arizona, Provost/Higher Education, Department Member
- University of Arizona, Family Studies and Human Development, Faculty Memberadd
Depressive symptoms among Latina/o youth are associated with higher bicultural stress, such as outgroup discrimination, ingroup marginalization, speaking only one language in dual language contexts, and family cultural conflict. However,... more
Depressive symptoms among Latina/o youth are associated with higher bicultural stress, such as outgroup discrimination, ingroup marginalization, speaking only one language in dual language contexts, and family cultural conflict. However, the relation between bicultural stress and hopelessness or depressive symptoms may vary among Mexican descent adolescents. In particular, ethnic identity status, based on ethnic exploration and ethnic resolution, may protect or increase vulnerability to bicultural stressors. Participants included 522 Mexican descent adolescents (53.1% female; age range 14 to 18 years: M = 16.22 years, SD = 1.09 years) who completed a self-report survey at a school on the U.S./Mexico border with 97% Latina/o concentration. Three ethnic identity statuses (diffused, foreclosed, and achieved) were identified in this sample using cluster analysis based on ethnic identity exploration and resolution. A multiple group path analysis found that more hopelessness was significantly associated with more bicultural stress among diffused and achieved youth. Depressive symptoms were associated with bicultural stress only for achieved youth. Diffused ethnic identity youth reported the highest rates of hopelessness, and they reported more hopelessness when they reported higher rates of bicultural stress. Contrary to hypotheses, achieved ethnic identity status youth reported a significant association between bicultural stress and both hopelessness and depressive symptoms. Our results suggest that achieved ethnic identity may not necessarily be an unmitigated protective factor, particularly when considering intragroup marginalization in areas of high Latina/o concentration. Síntomas de depresión en adolecentes latino/as están asociados con estrés bicultural, tal como discriminación de otros grupos sociales, marginación entre sus propio grupo étnico, hablando solo un idioma en situaciones bilingües, y conflictos culturales entre familia. Sin embargo, la relación entre estrés bicultural y desesperación o síntomas depresivos puede variar en adolecentes de descendencia Mexicana. En particular, estatus de identidad étnico, basado en exploración étnica y resolución étnica, puede proteger contra o aumentar la vulnerabilidad al estresor bicultural. Participantes incluido son 522 adolescentes de descendencia Mexicana (53.1% féminas; las edades de participantes están entre 14 y 18: M = 16.22 años, SD = 1.09 años) quienes completaron una encuesta autoinforme en sus escuelas cerca de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México donde hay un concentración de 97% de estudiantes Latino/as. Identificaron tres estatus de identidad étnico (difusión de identidad, identidad hipotecada, logro de identidad) en esta prueba usando análisis de conglomerados basado en exploración étnica y resolución étnica. Un análisis de grupos múltiples indicó que la asociación entre la desesperación e estrés bicultural era estadísticamente significante para adolescentes en los estatus de difusión de identidad, o logro de identidad. La asociación entre síntomas de depresión e estrés bicultural solamente existe en adolecentes en el estatus de logro. Adolecentes con identidad étnico hipotecada reportaron los niveles más altos de desesperación, y reportaron más desesperación cuando reportaron niveles altos de estrés bicultural. Contrario a la hipótesis, adolecentes en el estatus de logro de identidad étnico reportaron una asociación significativa entre estrés bicultural y ambos desesperación y síntomas depresivos. Nuestros resultados sugieren que el estatus de logro de identidad étnico quizás no es un factor protector, particularmente en situaciones de marginación entre su propio grupo social con altas concentraciones de Latino/as.
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This chapter discusses the concepts of acculturative and bicultural stress, the theory and method behind the measurement, and the implications of the US immigration policy context for stress. The central sources of acculturative and... more
This chapter discusses the concepts of acculturative and bicultural stress, the theory and method behind the measurement, and the implications of the US immigration policy context for stress. The central sources of acculturative and bicultural stress are reviewed, including intergroup discrimination, language stress, intragroup marginalization, and family cultural conflict. In particular, literature is reviewed that examines the association between mental health and acculturative or bicultural stress. Extant research does demonstrate that degree of stress varies for individuals and that acculturative/bicultural stress is experienced not only by immigrants but also by minorities in the United States. Therefore, the present chapter reviews literature that connects the acculturative/bicultural stress process across generations. The immigration context is considered for future research in the area of acculturation and stress.
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Since the 1960s, in comparison to other ethnic and gender groups , a higher rate of depression and suicide ideation has been documented for Latina girls. This Brief offers a concise summary of contemporary research on this critical topic.... more
Since the 1960s, in comparison to other ethnic and gender groups , a higher rate of depression and suicide ideation has been documented for Latina girls. This Brief offers a concise summary of contemporary research on this critical topic. Among the considerations are the influence of bullying, families, immigration, and culture on Latina adolescent mental health. Presenting cutting-edge multiracial feminist frameworks for new and existing empirical findings, this book serves to guide the future research agenda on this topic. Clinical recommendations are also included.https://epublications.marquette.edu/marq_fac-book/1142/thumbnail.jp
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ObjectiveThe present study investigates associations between bicultural stress, coping, and responses to stress (RTS) in relation to depressive symptoms and self‐esteem for Mexican‐descent and non‐Latinx White college students.MethodWith... more
ObjectiveThe present study investigates associations between bicultural stress, coping, and responses to stress (RTS) in relation to depressive symptoms and self‐esteem for Mexican‐descent and non‐Latinx White college students.MethodWith a sample of 268 Mexican‐descent and non‐Latinx White college students, two multiple‐mediation path models and two moderation models are examined.ResultsThe hypothesized mediation models were both supported indicating higher bicultural stress is associated with higher reporting of engaged and disengaged forms of coping and RTS. Engaged coping was associated with mental health resiliency while disengaged coping and RTS contributed to vulnerability. Disengaged and secondary engaged coping were mediators in the depressive symptoms and self‐esteem models. In terms of moderation, disengaged coping and RTS were both moderators in the bicultural stress–depressive symptoms relationships.ConclusionsCollege students' reactions to bicultural stress may eith...
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BACKGROUND The Acculturative Process and Context Framework (Ward & Geeraert, 2016) proposes that acculturative stressors influence psychological well-being over time. In fact, extant literature has linked bicultural stress with... more
BACKGROUND The Acculturative Process and Context Framework (Ward & Geeraert, 2016) proposes that acculturative stressors influence psychological well-being over time. In fact, extant literature has linked bicultural stress with psychological functioning; yet, no studies have explored the causal dominance of bicultural stress. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the directionality of prospective relations among bicultural stress and psychosocial functioning (i.e., depressive symptoms, hopefulness, and self-esteem) in Latinx immigrant adolescents across 5 waves. METHOD There were 303 Latinx adolescents who were recruited for this study from Los Angeles and Miami and were assessed across 5 waves at 6-month intervals. Adolescents were 14.50 years old on average (SD = .88) and 53.16% were male. Adolescents reported living in the United States for 2.07 years on average (SD = 1.87). A Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) was used to examine the between- and within-person relations among bicultural stress, depressive symptoms, hopefulness, and self-esteem in a comprehensive model. RESULTS The comprehensive RI-CLPM including bicultural stress, depressive symptoms, hopefulness, and self-esteem exhibited excellent model fit. Between-person, trait-like relations among constructs ranged from small to large, as expected. Within-person, cross-lagged estimates among constructs were overall inconsistent, with some evidence that, within individuals, self-esteem influences later hopefulness. CONCLUSION Findings from this study indicate that the RI-CLPM is an effective strategy to examine bicultural stress and well-being processes among adolescents. There is a need for further research examining bicultural stress among Latinx immigrant youth, particularly within prevention and intervention studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Latino/a youth have reported the highest rates of suicide attempts compared to White and African American youth for over 40 years. The data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) cross-sectional subsamples of Latino/a... more
Latino/a youth have reported the highest rates of suicide attempts compared to White and African American youth for over 40 years. The data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) cross-sectional subsamples of Latino/a youth (N = 13,378) at every year of data collection between 2005 and 2015 were examined for bullying, gun carrying, and suicidality. Results indicate that Latina girls are significantly more likely than boys to make a suicide attempt and report more bullying and more cyberbullying, but are less likely to carry a gun. Being bullied or carrying a gun were significantly associated with greater likelihood of suicide attempt among both boys and girls. Youth who carried a gun overall had higher rates of suicide attempts whether they were bullied or not, whereas youth who did not carry a gun were significantly more likely to attempt suicide if they were bullied. Over the past 10 years, gun carrying has decreased significantly for Latino boys and suicide atte...
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ABSTRACT Guided by the interpersonal theory of suicide, this study examines the associations between gun carrying, bullying, and suicidal behaviors among high school students. Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Surveys were completed by 2,677... more
ABSTRACT Guided by the interpersonal theory of suicide, this study examines the associations between gun carrying, bullying, and suicidal behaviors among high school students. Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Surveys were completed by 2,677 students in 2011; 9.0% reported suicide attempt in the past year, 5.5% carried a gun in the past 30 days, 8.5% were involved in school bullying, and 3.9% in cyberbullying. After accounting for depressive symptoms and self-harm, multiple linear regression results demonstrate that youth who carried a gun in the past 30 days were 3.98 times more likely to attempt suicide. Bullying was not associated with suicide attempt; however, youth report being 1.55 times more likely to make a suicide plan if they were bullied in school, 1.89 times more likely if cyberbullied, and .48 less likely if a cyberbully/victim. Results support the interpersonal theory of suicide; implications for school policies on gun carrying and bullying are discussed.
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The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the work presented in this book about how South Tucson Prevention Coalition created community transformational resilience to prevent adolescent alcohol use. Community transformational resilience... more
The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the work presented in this book about how South Tucson Prevention Coalition created community transformational resilience to prevent adolescent alcohol use. Community transformational resilience is the ability of a collective group to transform their community in a manner that increases protective factors and limits risk factors. Community was created through the building of a coalition based on personalismo (value of personal relationships and positive communication) that was comprised of youth, community members, university researchers, and outside agencies. Transformation was built through the process of participatory action research in order to ensure equal participation in dialogue to increase critical consciousness of societal factors for adolescent alcohol use that lead to community-led/youth-led research. Resilience was created because the coalition changed the community environment by increasing community norms of disapproval of adolescent alcohol use and by limiting access to alcohol. Understanding community levels of readiness for change was valuable to creating incremental, yet exponential changes over time to prevent adolescent alcohol use.
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This chapter examines how youth-led participatory action research to map the locations of liquor licenses in their city led to youth and adult collaboration to prevent new liquor licenses. Alcohol accessibility is a significant factor... more
This chapter examines how youth-led participatory action research to map the locations of liquor licenses in their city led to youth and adult collaboration to prevent new liquor licenses. Alcohol accessibility is a significant factor associated with adolescent alcohol use. Youth living in lower income neighborhoods often have higher than typical exposure to alcohol accessibility. In many ways, this chapter demonstrates how the South Tucson Prevention Coalition (STPC) worked together to create community transformational resilience because they were able to transform their environment in order to limit risk factors for adolescent alcohol use in a manner that would impact all youth in the city for many years. Their example demonstrates how a community can transform their environment to enhance opportunities for youth positive development and to limit exposure to risk factors.
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The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the relevance of community norms for alcohol use when targeting prevention of adolescent alcohol use. During Phase 2, South Tucson Prevention Coalition (STPC) worked to raise community awareness... more
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the relevance of community norms for alcohol use when targeting prevention of adolescent alcohol use. During Phase 2, South Tucson Prevention Coalition (STPC) worked to raise community awareness of alcohol norms through biannual community-wide events and through a bilingual radio media campaign. This chapter also provides more insight into the way in which the coalition members utilized the Community Readiness Model for Change to help identify community norms and to match intervention strategies in order to target current community norms. Shifting community alcohol norms was one step to increase the community readiness for community transformation prevention strategies. Through the chronological presentation and analysis for coalition report summaries and public press releases, we analyze the important function of external funding, training of coalition members, and the way in which activities built on each other to reach a higher level of readiness that lead to community transformational resilience. We also demonstrate the importance of transparent communication, positive communication, and mission-oriented communication between the coalition, the community, and the local government.
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The purpose of this chapter is to describe the key factors that contributed to the creation, success, and sustainability of the South Tucson Prevention Coalition (STPC) over a period of 8 years. STPC was a diverse coalition whose goal was... more
The purpose of this chapter is to describe the key factors that contributed to the creation, success, and sustainability of the South Tucson Prevention Coalition (STPC) over a period of 8 years. STPC was a diverse coalition whose goal was to prevent underage drinking in one city. Coalition members reflect on their success and describe four factors that contributed to their development. First, they describe how once they understood “We can’t do it alone”; their critical consciousness that adolescent alcohol use was influenced by societal context influenced their motivation to work with other agencies. Second, they describe the importance of having a central mission that brings agencies together with a common goal and common passion to help young people. Third, they describe operating guidelines of meetings that contributed to their empowerment. Lastly, they discuss how personalismo, the cultural value of prioritizing positive and trusting relationships, helped them connect with coalition members to sustain their involvement.
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Latina adolescents experience depression and suicidal ideations in a disproportionate manner compared to their non-Latina counterparts. We investigate suicide and depressive symptoms among a state-wide sample ( N = 650) of adolescent... more
Latina adolescents experience depression and suicidal ideations in a disproportionate manner compared to their non-Latina counterparts. We investigate suicide and depressive symptoms among a state-wide sample ( N = 650) of adolescent Latina girls with a focus on bullying as a predictor. Bullying rates are higher than previous studies have found for victimization at school (23%), cybervictimization (26%), school bully (18%), and cyberbully (18%). Rates for depressive symptoms (49%), suicide ideation (23%), suicide plan (17%), and suicide attempt(s; 13%) are higher than national averages. After controlling for depressive symptoms, girls who have been bullied were 1.5 times more likely to attempt suicide compared to girls who have not been victims. However, being a bully increased likelihood of suicide ideation (1.5) and suicide plan (1.4) compared to not being a bully. There is a continued need to prevent depressive symptoms and suicide among Latina girls and to further investigate th...
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Purpose. The primary purpose of the current study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a hip hop dance intervention, Latin Active, among low-income Mexican-American adolescents. Mexican-descent adolescents tend to have disproportionate... more
Purpose. The primary purpose of the current study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a hip hop dance intervention, Latin Active, among low-income Mexican-American adolescents. Mexican-descent adolescents tend to have disproportionate rates of low physical activity, overweight status, and obesity. Design. A 5-week intervention design with pretest and post-test self-report measures. Setting. Charter middle school (grades 6–9) health/science classes in a low-income neighborhood were the setting for the Latin Active intervention. Participants. Overall, 81 participants were recruited; 73 (n = 41, female; n = 32, male) provided active parental consent to complete pretest/post-test surveys. Intervention. The Latin Active program included 10 interactive 50-minute lessons that were delivered twice a week during science/health classes. The curriculum was created on the basis of Social Cognitive Theory, Critical Hip Hop Pedagogy, and feedback from key stakeholders. The lessons focused on ...
Research Interests: Music, Health Promotion, Poverty, Physical Activity, Dancing, and 15 moreAdolescent, Medicine, Physical Therapy, Overweight, Humans, Child, Female, Male, Exercise, Childhood Obesity Prevention, Mexican Americans, Public health systems and services research, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Pilot Projects, and Latin Americans
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Research Interests: Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Mental Health, Parenting, Acculturation, and 15 moreAdolescent, Medicine, Family Psychology, Immigrants and Emigrants, Humans, Aggression, Female, Alcohol Drinking, Male, Depressive Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Family Relations, Self Concept, Longitudinal Studies, and Psychological Stress
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To better understand the impact of ethnic identity, it is important to examine people’s social construction, or definition, of that identity. In this study, the social construction of ethnic identity of predominantly low-acculturated,... more
To better understand the impact of ethnic identity, it is important to examine people’s social construction, or definition, of that identity. In this study, the social construction of ethnic identity of predominantly low-acculturated, first-and second-generation U.S. Mexicans and Mexican Americans was examined by asking focus group participants to talk about what it meant to them to be members of their ethnic groups. These open-ended responses then were coded along Phinney’s aspects of ethnicity. Several interesting patterns emerged, some of which have not been emphasized in previous literature, such as conflict with African Americans and Chicanas/Chicanos. Discussion centers on the value of listening to people’s social constructions of their ethnic identity to better understand their social realities.
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... Studies. Her e-mail address is olearya@email.arizona.edu Andrea Romero is an associate professor in the MA&RS department and in Family Studies & Human Develop-ment. Her e-mail address is:... more
... Studies. Her e-mail address is olearya@email.arizona.edu Andrea Romero is an associate professor in the MA&RS department and in Family Studies & Human Develop-ment. Her e-mail address is: romeroa@email.arizona.edu
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This study examined longitudinal effects of adolescent and parent cultural stress on adolescent and parent emotional well-being and health behaviors via trajectories of adolescent and parent family functioning. Recent immigrant Latino... more
This study examined longitudinal effects of adolescent and parent cultural stress on adolescent and parent emotional well-being and health behaviors via trajectories of adolescent and parent family functioning. Recent immigrant Latino adolescents (Mage = 14.51) and parents (Mage = 41.09; N = 302) completed measures of these constructs. Latent growth modeling indicated that adolescent and parent family functioning remained stable over time. Early levels of family functioning predicted adolescent and parent outcomes. Baseline adolescent cultural stress predicted lower positive adolescent and parent family functioning. Latent class growth analyses produced a two-class solution for family functioning. Adolescents and parents in the low family functioning class reported low family functioning over time. Adolescents and parents in the high family functioning class experienced increases in family functioning.
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Research Interests: Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Health Psychology, Depression, Individuality, and 15 moreRisk Taking, Acculturation, Adolescent, Medicine, Immigrants and Emigrants, Los Angeles, Humans, United States, Female, Male, Young Adult, Psychosocial, Self Concept, Longitudinal Studies, and Youth & Adolescence
Research Interests: Psychology, Parenting, Adolescent Health, Acculturation, Adolescent, and 15 moreMedicine, Immigrants and Emigrants, Immigrants, Latinos, Humans, Female, Alcohol Drinking, Male, Family Functioning, Longitudinal Studies, Sex Factors, Family Conflict, Likelihood Functions, Unsafe Sex, and HIV infections
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Drawing from a theory of bicultural family functioning 2 models were tested to examine the longitudinal effects of acculturation-related variables on adolescent health risk behaviors and depressive symptoms (HRB/DS) mediated by caregiver... more
Drawing from a theory of bicultural family functioning 2 models were tested to examine the longitudinal effects of acculturation-related variables on adolescent health risk behaviors and depressive symptoms (HRB/DS) mediated by caregiver and adolescent reports of family functioning. One model examined the effects of caregiver-adolescent acculturation discrepancies in relation to family functioning and HRB/DS. A second model examined the individual effects of caregiver and adolescent acculturation components in relation to family functioning and HRB/DS. A sample of 302 recently immigrated Hispanic caregiver-child dyads completed measures of Hispanic and U.S. cultural practices, values, and identities at baseline (predictors); measures of family cohesion, family communications, and family involvement 6 months postbaseline (mediators); and only adolescents completed measures of smoking, binge drinking, inconsistent condom use, and depressive symptoms 1 year postbaseline (outcomes). Mea...
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ABSTRACT Ethnic identity development may increase resilience to discrimination and prejudice, which are often common and stressful for ethnic minority adolescents. Based on ethnic identity development theory and resilience theory, we... more
ABSTRACT Ethnic identity development may increase resilience to discrimination and prejudice, which are often common and stressful for ethnic minority adolescents. Based on ethnic identity development theory and resilience theory, we hypothesize that under high discrimination stress, ethnic affirmation and ethnic identity stage will have protective moderating effects on self-esteem and depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional self-report study with 125 ethnic minority adolescents (13–18 years) found that ethnic affirmation (p < .05) had protective effects on depressive symptoms (p < .05) and protective-enhancing effects on self-esteem at high levels of discrimination stress. Achieved ethnic identity stage (p < .05) had protective-stabilizing effects on self-esteem at high discrimination stress. Our findings demonstrate that the protective elements of ethnic identity are feeling positive about one's ethnic group, having learned about one's history, and having resolved conflicts about one's ethnic group.