Abstract
Despite the growing number of Latino youth in the US, little research has examined factors that influence the development of mental health symptoms among this population, including factors related to immigration.
This study examined the link between negative life events (NLEs) and two outcomes, symptoms of anxiety and engagement in delinquency, among Latino adolescents. Time spent in the US and use of language with family and friends were examined as moderators.
Study measures were completed by 144 Latino adolescents (N = 78 males; ages 14-19 years) attending a school in a large, Midwestern city.
Multiple regression analyses indicated that exposure to NLEs was the only significant unique predictor of anxiety symptoms, and exposure to NLEs and male gender were significant predictors of engagement in delinquency. Further, an interaction was found between NLEs and language use with friends, indicating that exposure to NLEs is significantly related to engagement in delinquent acts at both high and low use of English with their friends; the magnitude of this association was stronger for low use of English. No other significant interactions were found.
Findings indicate that exposure to NLEs are important to consider for understanding the development of problem behavior among Latino adolescents. Further, the language that Latino youth speak with their friends is important to consider when monitoring these youth for mental and behavioral health symptoms. Interventions geared toward Latino youth should consider both exposure to NLEs and cultural factors to improve the cultural sensitivity of intervention efforts.
