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The Role of Acculturation and Family Functioning in Predicting HIV Risk Behaviors Among Hispanic Delinquent Youth

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Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between Berry’s acculturation typology and HIV risk behaviors and whether family functioning mediated any such effects. A total of 235 high risk Hispanic adolescents were categorized into one of Berry’s four acculturation typologies through the use of cut-off scores on measures of Hispanicism and Americanism. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the effects of acculturation typology on HIV risk behaviors and the indirect effects of acculturation typology on HIV risk behaviors through family functioning. Acculturation typology was related to HIV risk behaviors. Family functioning partially mediated the effects of acculturation typology on the HIV risk behavior outcomes. These findings suggest that both Americanism and Hispanicism play an important role in the etiology of HIV risk behaviors among Hispanic youth and that both, along with family functioning, are important to consider when designing preventive interventions for this population.

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Notes

  1. Of the 242 enrolled, 7 are missing acculturation data and consequently are not included in the current study.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse grant # R01 DA025894, #R01 DA025192 and Center for Disease Control and Prevention grant #U01PS0000671 awarded to Guillermo Prado and National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Loan Repayment Program 1L60MD006269-01 to David Cordova. We would like to thank the members of the study team as well as the families who participated in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Center for Family Studies, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1425 N.W., 10th Ave., 3rd Floor, Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Colleen Farrelly, David Cordova, Shi Huang, Yannine Estrada & Guillermo Prado

Authors
  1. Colleen Farrelly
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  2. David Cordova
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  3. Shi Huang
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  4. Yannine Estrada
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  5. Guillermo Prado
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Correspondence to Guillermo Prado.

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Farrelly, C., Cordova, D., Huang, S. et al. The Role of Acculturation and Family Functioning in Predicting HIV Risk Behaviors Among Hispanic Delinquent Youth. J Immigrant Minority Health 15, 476–483 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9627-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9627-1

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