TY - JOUR
T1 - Cultural traditions as "protective factors" among Latino children of illicit drug users
AU - Castro, Felipe
AU - Garfinkle, Julie
AU - Naranjo, Diana
AU - Rollins, Maria
AU - Brook, Judith S.
AU - Brook, David W.
N1 - Funding Information:
Work on this study was supported by a grant R01 DA 11116 from the National Institute of Drug Abuse to Dr. David Brook. We thank Dr. Leona Aiken for her helpful comments on issues involved in the analysis of small sample regression models. We wish to thank Barbara Zugor, Steve Radvick, Nicki Savoy, Kathy Vazques and the TASC organization for their aid in screening and referral. We also thank Miguel Cano, Carlos Tarazon, Magan Sage, Nereida Salamanca, and other research assistants for their contributions to the conduct of this study.
PY - 2007/3
Y1 - 2007/3
N2 - Family bonding was examined among Hispanic adolescents whose fathers are illicit drug users to ascertain whether such adolescents maintain close affective family ties or alienate themselves from their families given their father's use of illicit drugs and referral to a drug screening and treatment program. It was hypothesized that high levels of paternal drug use would be associated with the youth's alienation from the family. In addition, it was postulated that the adolescent's endorsement of traditional cultural values and social responsibility would protect her or him against this effect in relation to family bonding. These hypotheses are based on prior research that suggests that youth bonding to prosocial institutions, such as family, school, church, and community organizations, can be "protective" against drug use. More specifically, our analyses examined the role of level of acculturation in middle school, family traditionalism, American orientation, Latino orientation, and social responsibility in predicting adolescents' family bonding. Results indicated that the father's level of marijuana and/or methamphetamine use was unrelated to youth family bonding. Additionally, Latino and American cultural orientations and level of acculturation in middle school were not associated with family bonding. By contrast, social responsibility (the youth's citizenship and responsibility to the community) and family traditionalism (endorsing conservative cultural values regarding the maintenance of family traditions and respect for elders and family) were significantly associated with family bonding. In other words, among children of Latino illicit drug users, the youth's conservative family values and a responsible attitude toward community traditions were dual factors related to family bonding, perhaps operating also as sources of "protection" against youth problem behaviors.
AB - Family bonding was examined among Hispanic adolescents whose fathers are illicit drug users to ascertain whether such adolescents maintain close affective family ties or alienate themselves from their families given their father's use of illicit drugs and referral to a drug screening and treatment program. It was hypothesized that high levels of paternal drug use would be associated with the youth's alienation from the family. In addition, it was postulated that the adolescent's endorsement of traditional cultural values and social responsibility would protect her or him against this effect in relation to family bonding. These hypotheses are based on prior research that suggests that youth bonding to prosocial institutions, such as family, school, church, and community organizations, can be "protective" against drug use. More specifically, our analyses examined the role of level of acculturation in middle school, family traditionalism, American orientation, Latino orientation, and social responsibility in predicting adolescents' family bonding. Results indicated that the father's level of marijuana and/or methamphetamine use was unrelated to youth family bonding. Additionally, Latino and American cultural orientations and level of acculturation in middle school were not associated with family bonding. By contrast, social responsibility (the youth's citizenship and responsibility to the community) and family traditionalism (endorsing conservative cultural values regarding the maintenance of family traditions and respect for elders and family) were significantly associated with family bonding. In other words, among children of Latino illicit drug users, the youth's conservative family values and a responsible attitude toward community traditions were dual factors related to family bonding, perhaps operating also as sources of "protection" against youth problem behaviors.
KW - Acculturative stress
KW - Cultural identification
KW - Family bonding
KW - Hispanic youth
KW - Protection
KW - Resilience
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U2 - 10.1080/10826080701202247
DO - 10.1080/10826080701202247
M3 - Article
C2 - 17558954
AN - SCOPUS:34250348411
SN - 1082-6084
VL - 42
SP - 621
EP - 642
JO - Substance Use and Misuse
JF - Substance Use and Misuse
IS - 4
ER -