Cultural Values and Romantic Satisfaction in Mexican Adolescents: Moderation by Parental Psychological Control and Gender

• In Event: 1-179 - Parents, Partners, and Peers: Examining the Context of Supportive Relationships for Latina/o Adolescents

Integrative Statement

Introduction
Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by the growth of autonomy in personal and social contexts (Karabanova & Poskrebysheva, 2013). Consistent with this newly developed autonomy, adolescents begin engaging in romantic relationships (Connolly, Furman, & Konarski, 2000). The task of successfully forming an intimate and satisfying romantic relationship may have implications for adolescents’ psychological adjustment (Reid, Halgunseth, Espinosa-Hernández, & Vasilenko, 2018). Mexican adolescents face familial and cultural pressure to engage in romantic relationships that will end in marriage (Halgunseth, Espinosa-Hernandez, & Van Duzor, 2014). The effect of these cultural values on relationship satisfaction may be even more salient in the context of parental psychological control, especially if the parents are using psychologically controlling behaviors in their socialization of cultural values. Guided by the developmental contextual (Chen & Rubin, 2011; Lerner & Ford, 1992) and Collins’s (2003) frameworks, the purpose of this study is to explore the moderating effects of mothers’ and fathers’ psychological control and gender on the association between cultural values and romantic relationship satisfaction in Mexican adolescents.

Methods
Self-report survey data collected from 214 adolescents (M=14.59 years old; 50.5% girls) from two public schools in Mexico reported on their age, gender, endorsement of cultural values (i.e., machismo, caballerismo, views of female virginity), perceived parental psychological control, and romantic relationship satisfaction. Machismo, caballerismo, views of female virginity, parental psychological control, and romantic relationship satisfaction were assessed using scales with Likert-type response choices. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on a romantic relationship satisfaction scale, as this scale has yet to be validated in a sample of Mexican adolescents. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the interactions between cultural values, mothers’ and fathers’ psychological control, and gender on romantic relationship satisfaction.

Results
A confirmatory factor analysis on the romantic relationship satisfaction scale was conducted to assess the fit of the measurement model. An overview of the fit indices for the different factor solutions is presented in Table 1. Goodness-of-fit was determined based on fit index cutoff values of a CFI greater than .90 and an SRMR less than .08, as suggested by Bentler (1990). Findings indicated strongest fit for a 7-item single factor scale using positively worded items.
Results indicated one significant three-way interaction between caballerismo, gender, and mothers’ psychological control on romantic relationship satisfaction. Simple slope analyses suggested that the positive association between caballerismo and romantic relationship satisfaction were strongest for female adolescents who perceived low psychologically controlling behaviors from their mothers (b=0.76, t=2.12, p=.035). Also, simple slope analyses indicated a significant positive association between caballerismo for boys who perceived high psychologically controlling behaviors from their mothers (b=.49, t=2.66, p=.009). Findings revealed no significant interactions between cultural values and perceived fathers’ psychological control for neither male nor female adolescents. Mental health practitioners and school counselors working with female Mexican adolescents who report poor romantic relationship satisfaction and high levels of caballerismo may consider working with mothers in these families and teaching them about positive parenting behaviors. Additional implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Alexander Reid, California State University Bakersfield
  Presenting Author

• Linda Citlali Halgunseth, UConn
  Non-Presenting Author

• Annamaria Csizmadia, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author

• Noel Card, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author

• Graciela Espinosa-Hernández, University of North Carolina Wilmington
  Non-Presenting Author