title: Personal and cultural identity development in recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents: Links with psychosocial functioning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined directionality between personal (i.e., coherence and confusion) and cultural identity (i.e., ethnic and U.S.) as well as their additive effects on psychosocial functioning in a sample of recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 302 recent (<5 years) immigrant Hispanic adolescents (53% boys; Mage = 14.51 years at baseline; SD = .88 years) from Miami and Los Angeles who participated in a longitudinal study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results indicated a bidirectional relationship between personal identity coherence and both ethnic and U.S. identity. Ethnic and U.S. affirmation/commitment (A/C) positively and indirectly predicted optimism and negatively predicted rule breaking and aggression through coherence. However, confusion predicted lower self-esteem and optimism and higher depressive symptoms, rule breaking, unprotected sex, and cigarette use. Results further indicated significant site differences. In Los Angeles (but not Miami), ethnic A/C also negatively predicted confusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the direct effects of coherence and confusion on nearly every outcome, it may be beneficial for interventions to target personal identity. However, in contexts such as Los Angeles, which has at least some ambivalence toward recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents, it may be more beneficial for interventions to also target cultural identity to reduce confusion and thus promote positive development. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3272-7701
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meca
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami.
authors.forename: Raha F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sabet
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami.
authors.forename: Colleen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Farrelly
authors.affiliation: Department of Higher Education and Administration, Florida International University.
authors.forename: Cynthia G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Benitez
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami.
authors.forename: Seth J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University.
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonzales-Backen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina.
authors.forename: Elma I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Lorenzo-Blanco
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Jennifer B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Smith College.
authors.forename: Byron L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Zamboanga
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baezconde-Garbanati
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Picariello
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Barry University.
authors.forename: Sabrina E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Des Rosiers
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pattarroyo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Northwestern University.
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Villamar
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan.
authors.forename: Karina M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lizzi
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D002489:Central America / Q000208:ethnology; D003105:Colombia / Q000208:ethnology; D003469:Culture; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D012933:Social Identification; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology