Abstract
Acculturation is typically defined in terms of individual responses to a dominant culture. In the present study, we examined the effects of different levels of acculturation among family members. Specifically, we looked at the health and risk behavior in Mexican-American children as related to a variety of psychosocial predictors, especially the differences in orientation toward Mexican- and Anglo-American cultures between them and their parents. Mother and child pairs (n = 106) noted their orientation toward both Anglo and Mexican cultures. Children’s dietary and sedentary behaviors, tobacco and alcohol use (and susceptibility to use), and depressive symptoms were also measured. Males were more likely to be sedentary and consume higher levels of total fat and saturated fat, whereas girls reported higher levels of depression. Anglo-oriented youth consumed lower levels of calories from fat but also more alcohol than did their Mexican-oriented counterparts. The latter was particularly the case among those children who were relatively more Anglo oriented than were their parents. Parent–child acculturation differential in terms of the differences in Mexican orientation, in comparison, predicted susceptibility to tobacco use. However, the sum of the absolute values of these two differences predicted only lifetime alcohol use, and in a counter-intuitive direction. This familial measure of acculturation shows some promise, but additional formative research is needed to operationalize this construct.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Diehl AK, Stern MP: Special health problems of Mexican-Americans: Obesity, gallbladder disease, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. Adv Intern Med 1989; 34:73–96
Wei M, Valdez RA, Mitchell BD, Haffner SM, Stern MP, et al: Migration status, socioeconomic status, and mortality rates in Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites: The San Antonio Heart Study. Ann Epidemiol 1996; 6(4):307–313
Vega WA, Warheit G, Meinhardt K: Mental health issues in the Hispanic community: The prevalence of psychological distress: In: Vega WA, Miranda MR, eds. pp. 30–47. Stress and Hispanic Mental Health. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Mental Health; 1985:390 pp
Marín G, Pérez-Stable E, Marín B: Cigarette smoking among San Francisco Hispanics: The role of acculturation and gender. Am J Public Health 1989; 79:196–199
Zimmerman EJ, Sodowsky GR: Influences of Mexican American drinking practices: Implication for counseling. J Multicul Counsel Develo 1993; 21(1):22–35
Sorenson SB, Shen H: Homicide risk among immigrants in California, 1970–1992. Am J Public Health 1996; 86:97–100
Gordon N: Cancer: In: Loue S, ed. pp. 389–406. Handbook of Immigrant Health. New York: Plenum; 1998:668 pp
Orozco S, Thompson B, Kapes J, Montgomery GT: Measuring the acculturation of Mexican Americans: A covariance structure analysis. Measur Eval Counsel Develop 1993; 25:149–155
Marín G, Marín BV: Research with Hispanic Populations. Newbury Park, CA: Sage; 1991
Cuéllar I, Arnold B, Maldonado R: Acculturation rating scale for Mexican Americans-II: A revision of the original ARSMA scale. Hispanic J Behav Sci 1995; 17(3):275–304
Berry JW: Acculturation and health: Theory and research: In: Kazarian S, Evans D, eds. Cultural Clinical Psychology: Theory, Research & Practice. NY: Oxford Press; 1998:pp 39–57
Stanton-Salazar R: Manufacturing Hope and Despair: The School and Kin Support Networks of U.S.-Mexican Youth. New York: Teachers College Press; 2001
McKenzie TL, Sallis JF, Nader PR, Broyles SL, Nelson JA: Anglo- and Mexican-American preschoolers at home and at recess: Activity patterns and environmental influences. J Dev Behav Pediatr 1992; 13(3):173–180
Nader PR, Sallis JF, Broyles SL, et al: Ethnic and gender trends for cardiovascular risk behaviors in Anglo- and Mexican-American children, ages four-seven. J Health Educ 1995; 26(2):S27–S35
Sallis JF, Nader PR, Broyles SL, et al: Correlates of physical activity at home in Mexican-American and Anglo-American preschool children. Health Psychol 1993; 12:390–398
Sallis JF, Broyles SL, Frank-Spohrer G, Berry CC, Davis TB, Nader PR: Child’s home environment Anglo-American preschool children in relation to the mother’s adiposity. Int J Obes 1995; 19:190–197
Broyles SL, Nader PR, Sallis JF, et al: Cardiovascular disease risk factors in Anglo- and Mexican-American children and their mothers. Fam Community Health 1996; 19(3):57–72
Dennis B, Ernst N, Hjortland M, Tillotson J, Grambsch V: The NHLBI nutrition data system. J Am Diet Assoc 1980; 77:641–647
Sallis JF, Saelens BE: Assessment of physical activity by self-report: State, limitations, and future directions. Res Quart Exerc Sport 2000; 71:510–514
Taras H, Sallis JF, Patterson TL, Nader PR, Nelson JS: Television’s influence on children’s diet and physical activity. JOBP 1989; 10(4):176–180
Radloff LS: The use of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in Adolescents and Young Adults. J Youth Adolesc 1991; 20:149–166
Radloff LS, Locke BZ, Ross CE: The Community Mental Health Assessment Survey and the CES-D Scale: In: Weissman MM, Myers JK, eds. Community Surveys of Psychiatric Disorders. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press; 1986: pp. 177–189
Roberts RE, Lewinsohn PM, Seeley JR: Screening for adolescent depression: A comparison of depression scales. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1991; 30:58–66
Prescott CA, McArdle JJ, Hishinuma ES, Johnson RC, Miyamoto RH, Andrade NN, et al: Prediction of major depression and Dysthymia from CES-D scores among ethnic minority adolescents. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1998; 37:495–503
Kolbe LJ, Kann L, Collins JL: Overview of the youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Public Health Rep 1993; 108(1):2–10
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Elder, J.P., Broyles, S.L., Brennan, J.J. et al. Acculturation, Parent–Child Acculturation Differential, and Chronic Disease Risk Factors in a Mexican-American Population. J Immigrant Health 7, 1–9 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-005-1385-x
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-005-1385-x