Poster #176 - Puerto Rican Adolescents’ Contact with the Island, Ethnic Socialization, Cultural Values, and Wellbeing

• In Event: 1-061 - Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Section - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Integrative Statement

Previous studies on Latino youth find that less acculturated adolescents who more highly endorse Latino values show better adjustment and wellbeing (Umaña-Taylor et al., 2009). However, questions remain regarding which conditions contribute to youth’s acculturation, their endorsement of traditional cultural values, and ultimately their wellbeing. Some developmentalists propose that the less time youth spent in their country of origin, the more acculturated they became, and the less they would endorse the values from their culture of origin (Redfield et al, 1936). However, this notion has been rarely examined directly and in-depth. More recently, researchers have proposed that familial ethnic socialization is an important acculturation variable that also affects youth’s endorsement of Latino values and adjustment (Umaña-Taylor, 2001). The current study examines issues of contact with the country of origin, ethnic socialization, and youth wellbeing among Puerto Rican adolescents living in the United States.

Puerto Ricans are free to move between the Island and the mainland U.S. given laws allowing travel without passport and Puerto Rican’s U.S. citizenship. However, it is unclear with which frequency Puerto Rican youth in the U.S. visit the Island. The present study aims to: 1) Provide an updated description of the contact Puerto Rican youth have with the Island, and 2) Examine how contact with the Island and familial ethnic socialization (Umana-Taylor, 2001) are associated with Puerto Rican adolescents’ endorsement of Latino values (family obligations and respeto) and wellbeing (problem behaviors, depressed mood, and self-esteem)

Participants included 105 Puerto Rican adolescents (ages 13-18; M age = 15.95; 54% female). Descriptive analyses showed that on average participants in this study had spent 33% of their lives living in Puerto Rico. Showing great variability in the frequency of visits to the Island, approximately 28% visited at least every other year, 33% visited between every 3-6 years, and 38% had never visited Puerto Rico since leaving the island. Overall, reports of familial ethnic socialization were moderate (M = 3.21).

Multiple regression analyses showed that proportion of years lived in the Island predicted fewer problem behaviors (B = -.59, p<.01), whereas frequency of visits to the island (B= .07, p<.05) and familial ethnic socialization predicted greater self-esteem (B= .18, p<.01). The interaction of frequency of visits to the island and proportion of years lived in Puerto Rico significantly predicted endorsement of family obligations (B= .12, p<.01). Post hoc analyses showed that the frequency of visits to the island predicted greater endorsement of family obligations, only for youth who had spent a few years living in Puerto Rico. However, after familial ethnic socialization was added to the model, the interaction between non-significant and ethnic socialization significantly predicted increased endorsement of family obligations (B=.26, p<.01). None of our variables significantly predicted endorsement of respeto or depressed mood.

The importance of ethnic socialization and contact with country of origin varies depending on the type of measures examined. Detailed measures of contact with the Island that include visits’ length and activities are necessary to better understand how it affects youth outcomes and values.

Author

• Myriam Villalobos Solis, Baruch College
  Presenting Author