Cultural affiliation and self-esteem as predictors of internalizing symptoms among mexican american adolescents.
We investigated the relations between affiliation with Mexican culture and self-esteem at baseline (Time 1 [T1]), and internalizing symptoms 2 years later (Time 2 [T2]) among a sample of high-risk Mexican American adolescents. Results indicated that T1 affiliation with Mexican culture was not related to T2 internalizing symptoms, controlling for T1 internalizing symptoms. The relation between T1 self-esteem and T2 internalizing symptoms was significant, controlling for T1 internalizing symptoms. Regression analyses revealed, for girls only, a significant interaction between affiliation with Mexican culture and self-esteem in the prediction of T2 internalizing symptoms. Specifically, low self-esteem was a risk factor for internalizing symptoms only among those girls minimally affiliated with Mexican culture. There was no significant interaction between cultural affiliation and self-esteem among Mexican American boys. Findings highlight the importance of gender and culture in risk processes for internalizing symptoms.
McDonald
Elizabeth J
EJ
Department of Psychology, University of San Diego, CA 92123, USA. kmccabe@casrc.org
McCabe
Kristen
K
Yeh
May
M
Lau
Anna
A
Garland
Ann
A
Hough
Richard L
RL
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors