Familial and cultural influences on sexual risk behaviors among Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Dominican youth.
The present study examined the relationship among acculturation, familismo, and HIV-related adolescent sexual risk behavior. Data were collected from Latino mother-adolescent dyads to permit parent and adolescent analyses of familismo for predicting oral, vaginal, and anal sexual behaviors. A random sample of 702 Latino eighth-grade students and their mothers was recruited from New York City. The sample included Mexicans (n = 203), Puerto Ricans (n = 239), and Dominicans (n = 260). Acculturation was unrelated to sexual behavior, but adolescent familismo was related to girls' but not boys' sexual behavior. The most important facet of familismo was subjugation to the family, which was negatively associated with girls' sexual behavior. The implications for HIV prevention programs for Latino youth are discussed.
Guilamo-Ramos
Vincent
V
School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA. rg650@columbia.edu
Bouris
Alida
A
Jaccard
James
J
Lesesne
Catherine
C
Ballan
Michelle
M
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D004293:Dominican Republic / Q000208:ethnology; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009519:New York City; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment