Acculturation Profiles and Associations With Parenting Among Immigrant Latinos

Abstract

Acculturation and accompanying acculturative stress affects the parenting practices of Latino immigrants. We (a) examine acculturation profiles based on heritage culture orientation, mainstream culture orientation, familismo, and acculturative stress; (b) describe how social support informs Latinos’ acculturation profiles; and (c) test how these acculturation profiles are associated with parenting behaviors (including parental involvement, monitoring, agency, and discipline self-efficacy) and family conflict. A three-step latent profile analysis revealed five profiles of acculturation: Cultural Individualism ( n = 168, 15%), Cultural Engagement ( n = 810, 71.3%), Cultural Assimilation ( n = 47, 4.3%), Cultural Disengagement ( n = 23, 2.1%), and Cultural Stress ( n = 77, 7.3%). Social support predicted the Cultural Engagement profile, which was associated with positive parenting behaviors and family functioning. The Cultural Stress profile was associated with detrimental parenting behaviors and family conflict. Recommendations include family interventions that effectively support and strengthen culturally competent coping strategies in response to acculturative stress as a means to promote positive parenting practices.