Acculturation Conflict And Psychological Adjustment Among Latino Adolescents

"Family conflict, particularly acculturation conflict, has been identified as a significant risk factor for immigrant youth, increasing the likelihood of depression, lower self-esteem, conduct problems, and poor academic performance in Latino and Asian American adolescents and young adults (e.g., Bahrassa, Syed, Su, & Lee, 2011; Dennis, Basañez, & Farahmand, 2010; Formoso, Gonzales, & Aiken, 2000; Gonzales, Deardorff, Formoso, Barr, & Barrera, 2006; Juang, Syed, & Takagi, 2007). Despite this, there is limited empirical work that addresses the mechanisms by which acculturation conflict impacts psychological well-being in Latino youth. The goal of this dissertation was to examine the mechanisms that underlie the negative effects of acculturation conflict with parents, on an adolescent's depressive symptoms and self-esteem. In this current study, participants included 140 Latino adolescents (Mage = 12.88; SD = .70; 51% girls). The majority of youth were from Mexican-origin families (81%). Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), results indicated that parent-adolescent acculturation conflict predicted greater depressive symptoms, lower self-esteem, lower relationship satisfaction with mothers and fathers, and a lower ethnic private regard. Additionally, ethnic private regard served as a partial mediating mechanism linking acculturation conflict to self-esteem, such that, acculturation conflict predicted a lower ethnic private regard, which in turn, predicted lower self-esteem. Discussion focuses on research and clinical implications for working with Latino families living in an emerging Latino community."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.