Elma I. Lorenzo?Blanco|Jennifer B. Unger
Ethnic Discrimination, Acculturative Stress, and Family Conflict as Predictors of Depressive Symptoms and Cigarette Smoking Among Latina/o Youth: The Mediating Role of Perceived Stress
University of South Carolina
latino youth experience range cultural ie ethnic discrimination acculturative stress familial ie family conflict risk factors contribute perceived stress thereby increasing risk depressive symptoms cigarette smoking understand mechanisms ethnic discrimination acculturative stress family conflict influence risk depressive symptoms cigarette smoking youth current study investigated mediating role perceived stress associations data came longitudinal study acculturation substance use 1919 latino adolescents 52 female 84 14 yearolds 87 us born structural equation modeling indicated discrimination family conflict time 1 related higher perceived stress time 2 turn related depressive symptoms smoking time 3 results suggest perceived stress might one mechanism ethnic discrimination family conflict contribute latino youth symptoms depression cigarette smoking findings highlight need prevention intervention strategies help youth manage general perceived stress andor focus stress reduction techniques