Hispanic American Adolescents Research Articles

Systemic review of studies of cyberbullying in Hispanic American adolescents

Bullying, cyberbullying and virtual intimidation in adolescents is a problem with relevant aspects to be investigated, since in recent years it has been increasing, taking into account that during adolescence acceptance among peers is essential for their social development, that is why this population is prone to suffer rejection, harassment and all kinds of cyber violence. The purpose of this work is to know research on the variables associated with bullying, cyberbullying and virtual intimidation in adolescents. For this, the articles that have been published between 2011 and 2021 in Spanish, English in the following bases have been reviewed: Pro Quest, EBSCO Host, Scopus and Eric.

Exploring cultural risk factors for suicide in Asian American, European American, and Hispanic American adolescents

Exploring cultural risk factors for suicide in Asian American, European American, and Hispanic American adolescents

Adverse Childhood Experiences Are Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk among Hispanic American Adolescents

To assess the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and cardiometabolic risk among Hispanic adolescents. This cross-sectional study was conducted at an academic research center in Gainesville, Florida. Participants were locally recruited, and data were collected from June 2016 to July 2018. Participants (n=133, 60.2% female) were healthy adolescents aged 15-21years who self-identified as Hispanic, were born in the US, and had a body mass index (BMI) between ≥18.5 and≤40kg/m2. Primary outcomes were BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, and resting blood pressure. Associations between ACEs and cardiometabolic measures were assessed by multivariable logistic regression models, which controlled for sex, age, parental education, and food insecurity. Results were sex-stratified to assess potential variations. Reporting ≥4 ACEs (28.6%) was significantly associated with a greater BMI (P=.004), body fat percentage (P=.02), and diastolic blood pressure (P=.05) compared with reporting <4 ACEs. Female participants reporting ≥4 ACEs were significantly more likely to have a greater BMI (P=.04) and body fat percentage (P=.03) whereas male participants reporting ≥4 ACEs were significantly more likely to have a greater BMI (P=.04), systolic blood pressure (P=.03), and diastolic blood pressure (P=.03). Hispanic adolescent participants who experienced ≥4 ACEs were more likely to have elevated risk markers of obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Further research is needed to elucidate the physiological mechanisms driving these relationships.

Body image and weight management among Hispanic American adolescents: Differences by sport type

BackgroundAdolescents' body image concerns vary by sex, ages, and participation in different types of sports. Little is known about variability of body image and weight management behaviors by sport type in Hispanic American adolescents. This study examined whether body image distortion and dissatisfaction are associated with weight management behaviors by sex and sport type in Hispanic adolescents. MethodsA sample of 728 Hispanic participants from the United States (61.6% female, Mage = 12.36 ± 2.35) completed the Stunkard Figural Stimuli, reported weight management behaviors and sport participation. Sports were classified as non-aesthetic (such as soccer), aesthetic (such as cheerleading), or non-sport participation. Separate multiple linear regression and multinomial logistic regression models were conducted to test adjusted associations between body image dissatisfaction and distortion, and sport type with weight management behaviors. Results and conclusionsParticipants in non-aesthetic sports (51.2% male) were more dissatisfied with their body image (want to be bigger; B = −0.17; p = .01) and were 1.5 times more likely to use exercise to lose weight than non-sport participants. Greater body image dissatisfaction increased the likelihood of weight management behaviors. As year in school increased, participants perceived themselves as smaller than their actual BMI and wanted to be smaller. Hispanic females exhibited similar trends to other ethnicities. However, Hispanic males may have interpreted a desire to be “smaller” as a more lean, muscular physique. Subsequent studies should focus on reasons for weight management, and whether those behaviors are healthy.

Empowering Marginalized Youth: A Self-Transformative Intervention for Promoting Positive Youth Development.

This article reports the results of a positive youth development (PYD) intervention for adolescents in alternative high schools (209 African American and Hispanic American adolescents, aged 14-18; 118 females and 91 males). The intervention was guided by a self-transformative model of PYD (Eichas, Meca, Montgomery, & Kurtines, 2014). This model proposes that the actions youth take to define themselves function as active ingredients in positive development over the life course. Consistent with the self-transformative model, results provided support for direct or mediated intervention effects on the self-transformative processes of self-construction and self-discovery, life goal development, identity synthesis, and internalizing problems. The findings illustrate the utility of using a self-transformative approach to PYD in work with marginalized youth populations.

Vitamin D Deficiency and Association With Body Mass Index and Lipid Levels in Hispanic American Adolescents.

In this retrospective study, vitamin D deficiency was examined with body mass index (BMI) and lipid levels in a sample of Hispanic American adolescents. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among 234 subjects aged 13 to 19 years was 27.8%. Vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with a BMI of 85 kg/m2 or higher (odds ratio = 2.02, 95% confidence interval = 1.11-3.69, χ2 = 5.37, P = .021), and 55.6% of the sample were overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 85%). In the overweight or obese subjects, vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with higher mean lipid levels compared with those with adequate vitamin D levels: total cholesterol = 165 ± 28.6 mg/dL versus 145.7 ± 27.5 mg/dL, P = .0003; low-density lipoprotein = 92.7 ± 25.7 mg/dL versus 80.8 ± 21.4 mg/dL, P = .007; and triglycerides = 148.9 ± 97.1 mg/dL versus 90.6 ± 40.7 mg/dL, P = .0000. The mean triglyceride level of 148.9 mg/dL in the overweight or obese subjects was in the dyslipidemic range. In the underweight and healthy weight subjects (BMI ≤ 84), there was no statistically different lipid levels between the vitamin D adequate and vitamin D deficient groups. The effect of vitamin D on lipid levels was confirmed by regression analysis. Elevated lipids and dyslipidemic triglyceride levels, associated with vitamin D deficiency in overweight or obese Hispanic American adolescents, indicates a need for clinical monitoring and appropriate intervention.

Prevalence Of Metabolic Syndrome And Individual Criterion In Hispanic American Adolescents In The U.s.

PURPOSE: Examine prevalence estimates of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) utilizing a modified definition in Hispanic American adolescents and the individual criterion making up MetS utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). This study was a descriptive analysis using a secondary data analysis approach from the 2001-2010 NHANES. METHODS: The study sample (N=9,655) was adolescents aged 12 to 19 years and reported their ethnicity as Mexican American or Other Hispanic only. The final sample consisted of 1,272 U.S. adolescents who met the following criteria: 1) completed an in-home interview; 2) attended the medical examination center following an overnight fast; 3) if female, not pregnant; 4) had complete data of all study variables (i.e., glucose, lipoproteins, blood pressure, and waist circumference); and 5) no previous diagnosis of diabetes. All data was collected by trained staff, which included the in-home interview questionnaires and standardized medical tests. In this study, MetS was defined as having three of the following conditions: waist circumference >= 90th percentile (sex-specific), elevated blood pressure (>= 90th percentile (age, height, sex-specific), elevated triglycerides, decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and impaired fasting glucose. RESULTS: Metabolic Syndrome was prevalent in 14.2% of the population of Hispanic American adolescents (14.8% Mexican American, (MA) and 11.1% Other Hispanics (OH)). Waist circumference was the only individual criterion that was significantly different between MA and OH 48.3% vs. 39.9% respectively. Waist circumference was significantly different amongst gender and ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic Syndrome is becoming more prevalent in all genders and ethnicities. However, the Hispanic population the prevalence is increasing. Understanding the difference between the different Hispanic populations may allow public health personnel to focus directly on specific areas to reduce the most prevalent criterion.

Amount of hepatic fat predicts cardiovascular risk independent of insulin resistance among Hispanic-American adolescents.

BackgroundNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the major pediatric chronic liver disease, and it is estimated to affect more than one third of obese children in the U.S. Cardiovascular complications are a leading cause of increased mortality in adults with NAFLD and many adolescents with NAFLD already manifest signs of subclinical atherosclerosis including increased carotid intima-media thickness.MethodsVolume of intrahepatic fat was assessed in 50 Hispanic-American, overweight adolescents, using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Lipoprotein compositions were measured using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.ResultsPlasma triglycerides (TG) (p = 0.003), TG/HDL ratio (p = 0.006), TG/apoB ratio (p = 0.011), large VLDL concentration (p = 0.019), VLDL particle size (p = 0.012), as well as small dense LDL concentration (p = 0.026) progressively increased across higher levels of hepatic fat severity, while large HDL concentration progressively declined (p = 0.043). This pattern of associations remained even after controlling for gender, BMI, visceral fat, and insulin resistance.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that increased hepatic fat is strongly associated with peripheral dyslipidemia and the amount of fat in the liver may influence cardiovascular risk. Further studies are needed to longitudinally monitor dyslipidemia in children with NAFLD and to examine whether the reduction of hepatic fat would attenuate their long-term CVD risk.

102. “I am Afraid What the Kid is Going to Have”: A Qualitative Study of Relationship and Childbearing Perspectives Among Hispanic American Adolescents With Perinatally-Acquired HIV

102. “I am Afraid What the Kid is Going to Have”: A Qualitative Study of Relationship and Childbearing Perspectives Among Hispanic American Adolescents With Perinatally-Acquired HIV

Dietary fructose reduction improves markers of cardiovascular disease risk in Hispanic-American adolescents with NAFLD.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now thought to be the most common liver disease worldwide. Cardiovascular complications are a leading cause of mortality in NAFLD. Fructose, a common nutrient in the westernized diet, has been reported to be associated with increased cardiovascular risk, but its impact on adolescents with NAFLD is not well understood. We designed a 4-week randomized, controlled, double-blinded beverage intervention study. Twenty-four overweight Hispanic-American adolescents who had hepatic fat >8% on imaging and who were regular consumers of sweet beverages were enrolled and randomized to calorie-matched study-provided fructose only or glucose only beverages. After 4 weeks, there was no significant change in hepatic fat or body weight in either group. In the glucose beverage group there was significantly improved adipose insulin sensitivity, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. These findings demonstrate that reduction of fructose improves several important factors related to cardiovascular disease despite a lack of measurable improvement in hepatic steatosis. Reducing dietary fructose may be an effective intervention to blunt atherosclerosis progression among NAFLD patients and should be evaluated in longer term clinical trials.

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents: factorial invariance across gender and age in Hispanic American adolescents.

Social anxiety is a common psychological disorder that often emerges during adolescence and is associated with significant impairment. Efforts to prevent social anxiety disorder require sound assessment measures for identifying anxious youth, especially those from minority backgrounds. We examined the factorial invariance and latent mean differences of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) across gender and age groups in Hispanic American adolescents (N = 1,191; 56% girls; 15-18 years) using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses. Results indicated that the factorial configuration of the correlated three-factor model of the SAS-A was invariant across gender and age. Analyses of latent mean differences revealed that boys exhibited higher structured means than girls on the Social Avoidance and Distress-General (SAD-General) subscale. On all SAS-A subscales, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Social Avoidance and Distress-New, and SAD-General, estimates of the structured means decreased with adolescent age. Implications for further research and clinical practice are discussed.

Preventing Drug Abuse Among Hispanic Adolescents: Developing a Responsive Intervention Approach.

Intervention research is essential to help Hispanic American adolescents avoid drug use. This article describes an intervention research program aimed at preventing drug use among these youths. Grounded in salient epidemiological data, the program is informed by bicultural competence, social learning, and motivational interviewing theories. The program, called Vamos, is aimed at the risk and protective factors as well as the cultural prerogatives that demark the adolescent years of Hispanic American youths. Innovative in its approach, the program is delivered through a smartphone application (app). By interacting with engaging content presented via the app, youths can acquire the cognitive-behavioral skills necessary to avoid risky situations, urges, and pressures associated with early drug use. The intervention development process is presented in detail, and an evaluation plan to determine the program's efficacy is outlined. Lessons for practice and intervention programming are discussed.

Obesity, Level Of Fitness And Academic Performance In Hispanic American Adolescents

Childhood obesity has become most prominent public health concern in the United States. Obesity and lower physical fitness, may cause low self-esteem and depression, these two psychological disorders may affect academic performance. PURPOSE: of this study was to investigate whether levels of obesity and physical fitness have an influence on academic performance in Hispanic adolescents. METHODS: Body mass index (BMI), one mile run and curl-up scores from 1,720 Hispanic adolescents in grades 8-11 were collected. Students were classified into four groups for BMI score using CDC weight status cut point (underweight, health weight, overweight, and obese) and three groups for aerobic fitness (one mile run) and muscle strength (curl-up) using FITNESSGRAM standards (ES: exceed standard, MS: meet standard, and US: under standard). Reading and Mathematics scores in Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test were obtained from a South Texas school district. RESULTS: Obese students scored lower than other groups in reading (36.2±.8 vs. 43.1±.6, Mean±SE, P<.01) and mathematics (34.5±.9 vs. 40.8±.8, P<.05) in 11th grade and scored lower in reading only in 10th grade (38.6±.8 vs. 43.8±.5, P<.05). However, there was no relation between the level of obesity and TAKS scores in 8 and 9th grades. In 8th grade, ES in one mile run scored higher than US in reading (42.7±.7 vs. 39.5±.5, P<.05) and mathematics (40.2±.9 vs. 32.5±.7, P<.01) and also ES in curl-up scored higher than US in both reading (41.4±.5 vs. 38.2±.9, P<.05) and mathematics (37±.7 vs. 31.8±1.0, P<.01). 9th grade ES in one mile run or curl-up scored higher than US in mathematics (32.9± 1.5 vs. 28.3±.8 and 31.2±.9 vs. 26.3±1.4 in one mile run and curl-up, P<.05). In 10th grade, only ES in aerobic fitness was associated with higher scores in mathematics (41.5±1.1 vs. 33.1±.9, P<.01). None of physical fitness measures correlated with TAKS scores for the 11th grades. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the data suggests that higher BMI and lower levels of aerobic and muscle fitness are associated with lower academic achievement in Hispanic adolescents. Results indicate that academic achievement is more affected by physical fitness, such as aerobic fitness and muscle strength, in early adolescence and it is more affected by level of obesity (body image) in late adolescence.

The efficacy of structural ecosystems therapy with drug-abusing/dependent African American and Hispanic American adolescents.

Many family therapies for adolescent drug use include ecological interventions. The purpose of this randomized clinical trial was to establish whether ecological interventions contribute to the impact of family therapy above and beyond the contributions of family process-only interventions. A family-based ecological approach, structural ecosystems therapy (SET), was compared with family process-only condition (FAM) and community services control (CS). One hundred ninety substance-abusing or dependent African American and Hispanic adolescents were randomized to SET, FAM, or CS. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months postrandomization. SET was significantly more efficacious than FAM and CS in reducing adolescent drug use. However, these improvements were limited to Hispanic adolescents. The study demonstrates the importance of investigating changes in adolescent drug use as a result of treatment condition across more than 1 racial/ethnic group.

Developmental, gender, and ethnic group differences in moods and ambulatory blood pressure in adolescents.

Adolescence is characterized by profound changes in physical, psychological, and social functioning thought to be accompanied by intense and varying moods. Within a psychophysiological framework, this study examined the prevalence of 12 self-reported mood states of adolescents; investigated associations between specific mood states and ambulatory blood pressure readings; and explored effects of interactions among moods, gender, ethnic group, and maturation on ambulatory blood pressures. The sample included 371 African American, European American, and Hispanic American adolescents 11 to 16 years old. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures were measured every 30 min with an ambulatory monitor and were synchronized with electronic activity monitoring and moods self-recorded during waking hours in a checklist diary. Moods differed significantly by gender, ethnic group, and maturation. Controlling for height, maturation, gender, ethnic group, mother's education, position, location, activity, other moods, and interactions of moods with other variables in a multilevel, random coefficients regression model, both positive and negative mood states were associated with higher levels of SBP and DBP; being relaxed or bored, or having a feeling of accomplishing things were associated with lower SBP and DBP. There were significant interaction effects of moods with physical maturity, gender, and ethnic group on ambulatory SBP and DBP. Further study of the modifying effects of gender, ethnic group, and stage of development on reports of moods, and their associations with cardiovascular responses is recommended.

Conflict Processes and Transitions in Parent and Peer Relationships: Implications for Autonomy and Regulation.

Relational components of three attributes often regarded as individual variables (conflict, autonomy, and self-regulation) were examined in two studies. In Study 1, mothers and their 10- through 12-, 13- through 15-, or 16- through 17-year-old offspring reported expected times of transition to 47 adultlike behaviors (behavioral autonomy) and rated the importance of delaying each transition. Discrepancies from mothers' expectancies were found to be greatest for 13- through 15-year-olds. In Study 2, characteristics and correlates of conflict across different types of relationships were assessed. Sixth-grade and eighth-grade Hispanic American adolescents reported significant differentiation among relationships with mothers, fathers, and friends in frequency of conflict, conflict resolution strategies and sequelae, and correlates of adolescents'psychosocial competence. Variations suggest that multiple relationships may be involved in the development of autonomy and self-regulation during childhood and adolescence.

Conicity: A new index of body fat distribution-what does it tell us?

"Conicity" (C) is an index of body fat distribution which expresses an individuals waist circumference relative to the circumference of a cylinder generated with that persons weight and height assuming a constant for body density (Valdez [1991] J. Clin. Epidemiol. 44:955-956). The more central a person is in fat distribution, the higher the value of C. In a pilot study of cardiovascular reactivity and dimensions of anger and hostility in 60 African-, Anglo-, and Hispanic-American adolescents, anthropometry and sexual maturation were determined to assess their mediating influence on the relation between anger and cardiovascular risk. The concurrent validity of three indices of body fat distribution was explored: conicity(C), waist/hip ratio (WHR), and central/peripheral skinfold ratio (C/P) by assessing their association with cardiovascular variables (CV) and other anthropometrics. Anthropometry included height, weight, fat mass estimated from bioelectrical impedance, four circumferences, and skinfolds. Maturation variables included menarche in girls, testes size in boys, and pubic hair in both sexes. Cardiovascular variables included resting diastolic and systolic blood pressures and heart rate, and the same three variables after recovery from a step test. The boys and girls were 15-16 years of age, and there were equal numbers in each sex/ethnic group. Partial correlations accounting for height (which was affected by ethnicity) and maturation stratified by gender are reported. C was more strongly related to CV risk in boys and girls than the other indices or the body mass index. Least related to CV risk was C/P, correlated only weakly to central skinfold fat. C and WHR are highly related (0.85) yet differ in important respects in both sexes: C is more closely related to body fat (0.62-0.66) and fat mass (0.53-0.77) than the WHR (respective correlations: 0.54-0.55 and 0.43-0.66). Thus, C relates not only to body shape but also to body fat. Indices of central fat such as circumference and skinfold ratios, may "over-correct" for total fatness and thus miss important aspects of risk prediction. Conicity may be a useful indicator of body fat distribution in studies of adolescents. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Self-instruction to prevent HIV infection among African-American and Hispanic-American adolescents.

Self-instruction to prevent HIV infection among African-American and Hispanic-American adolescents.

Self-instruction to prevent HIV infection among African-American and Hispanic-American adolescents.

This study tested the efficacy of self-instruction intervention to reduce avoidable risks for HIV infection associated with drug use and unsafe sexual activity among African-American and Hispanic adolescents (N = 60). After completing pretests, adolescent participants in the study were randomly divided into three conditions. Participants in one condition received a self-instructional guide about AIDS and its transmission along with group instruction in using the guide. Adolescents in another condition received the guide without group instruction. Participants in the third condition received neither the guide nor group instruction. Outcome findings indicate that participants in the two self-instruction conditions improved more between pretest and posttest assessments on measures of HIV infection risk compared with adolescents in the control condition.