Predicting Avoidance Symptoms in U.S. Latino Youth Exposed to Community Violence: The Role of Cultural Values and Behavioral Inhibition.

Abstract

Not all youth exposed to violence are at equal risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), reflecting potential variability in risk factors influencing the development of PTSD beyond exposure to violence. In particular, Latino youth have been found to be at a higher risk for developing PTSD after exposure to violence. Similarly, youth with high levels of behavioral inhibition appear to be at greater risk of developing PTSD following exposure to violence. In this study, we examined how Latino cultural values might be associated with behavioral inhibition and how these two factors together may interact to predict risk for developing PTSD avoidance symptoms, specifically. Data from a longitudinal sample of 168 Latino adolescents (11-15 years of age) indicated that Latino values were positively associated with behavioral inhibition, r = .26, p < .001, and that Latino values moderated the association between behavioral inhibition and avoidance symptoms, β = .16, p = .009, such that the association was stronger as Latino cultural values increased. Results from this study highlight the importance of considering cultural, individual, and contextual factors for understanding risk for PTSD. Future research should further assess the biological and cultural correlates of behavioral inhibition in order to improve understanding of risk and increase effectiveness of individualized intervention approaches.