Parent–Adolescent Conflict, Family Cohesion, and Self‐Esteem Among Hispanic Adolescents in Immigrant Families: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Using data from one wave of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS), the authors investigated the main and interactive effects of parent–adolescent conflict and family cohesion on self‐esteem among a large and diverse sample of adolescents in Hispanic immigrant families. A comparative analysis of four Hispanic ethnic subgroups (Cubans, Mexicans, Nicaraguans, and Colombians) was conducted. The results indicated that across all subgroups, parent–adolescent conflict was negatively associated with self‐esteem. Family cohesion was positively associated with self‐esteem across all subgroups, but it buffered the negative effect of parent–adolescent conflict among Cuban and Mexican adolescents only. The findings underscore the importance of considering differences in national origin when developing culturally informed interventions for Hispanic families. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.