Latino Ethnic Identity Research Articles

Predictors of psychological outcomes in a longitudinal study of Latina breast cancer survivors

Objective: This study sought to investigate the unique contributions of socio-ecological, cultural and cancer treatment-related factors in predicting depressive symptoms and cancer-specific distress among Latinas. Design: Participants were 140 English or Spanish-speaking Latinas (Mage = 50.6) with non-metastatic breast cancer who were assessed within two years of diagnosis (Time 1) and three months later (Time 2).Main Measures: Hierarchical regression analyses identified predictors of depressive symptoms and cancer-specific distress at Time 1 and 2.Results: Most women scored above the clinical cut-offs for depressive symptoms and cancer-specific distress. After adjusting for socio-ecological factors, greater Latino enculturation, measured by Latino ethnic identity, was significantly associated with greater cancer-specific distress at Time 1 (β = .20, p < .05). A significant interaction (p < .01) revealed that among women high on Latino identity, lower English language use was associated with more cancer-specific distress than higher English language use. After adjusting for socio-ecological factors, greater satisfaction with surgical treatment predicted improved depressive symptoms and cancer-specific distress across time (βs range from −.31 to −.18, ps < .01).Conclusions: Findings elucidate the complex relationship between culture and psychological outcomes in the breast cancer context and suggest that treatment satisfaction might be an important intervention target for Latinas.

Ethnic Identity and Latino Youth: The Current State of the Research

What is race? What is ethnicity? Although almost everyone has at least a basic understanding of what these concepts mean, the research on ethnic identity and Latino youth is relatively young making it hard to make consistent inferences on the topic and its impact. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the theoretical frameworks, definitions, and measurements used to explain ethnic identity development and to look at which environmental factors are currently being studied in relation to this concept. A systematic analysis of the literature was performed to assess how Latino ethnic identity was conceptualized and measured and whether any theoretical frameworks were used to center the concept. In addition, this study also looked at which environmental variables were currently being studied in relation to ethnic identity. The results showed that there was little agreement on how to conceptualize, theorize, and measure ethnic identity. The results revealed three major types of definitions, 13 theories, and 17 measures. The study found little to no mention of environmental variables (e.g., community and school) study in relation to ethnic identity development. The results suggest that the inconsistencies in measurements, conceptualization and how ethnic identity is defined affect study results and limit the interpretations drawn from them.

The Connections Between Latino Ethnic Identity and Adult Experiences

This study considers the influence of adult experiences on the development of Latino ethnic identity. Using purposeful and snowball sampling, adult participants responded to open-ended questions about their understanding of being Latino. Analysis indicated that changes in the environment or life circumstances had the greatest effect on the reevaluation of identity. This process, referred to as looping, occurred in 35% of the adults surveyed and illustrates the process that occurs when an individual questions previous understanding of identity yet does not lose his/her previous sense of committed self. In addition, the study found that adults who self-identify as having a bicultural orientation were more likely to experience a looping effect, though some Latino-oriented individuals also experienced this effect.

A daily diary investigation of latino ethnic identity, discrimination, and depression.

The objectives of the current study were to document the effects of discrimination on Latino mental health and to identify the circumstances by which ethnic identity serves a protective function. Instances of discrimination and depressive symptoms were measured every day for 13 days in a sample of Latino adults (N = 91). Multilevel random coefficient modeling showed a 1-day lagged effect in which increases in depression were observed the day following a discriminatory event. The findings also revealed differential effects of ethnic identity exploration and commitment. Whereas ethnic identity exploration was found to exacerbate the influence of daily discrimination on next-day depression, ethnic identity commitment operated as a stress buffer, influencing the intensity of and recovery from daily discrimination. The findings are discussed within a stress and coping perspective that identifies appropriate cultural resources for decreasing the psychological consequences associated with daily discrimination.

The Relationship of Ethnicity-Related Stressors and Latino Ethnic Identity to Well-Being

Based on the risk and resilience model, the current study examined the effect of ethnicity-related stressors (perceived discrimination, stereotype confirmation concern, and own-group conformity pressure) and ethnic identity (centrality, private regard, public regard, and other-group orientation) on the well-being of 171 Latino American college students. The study also examined the moderating role of ethnic identity on the relationship between ethnicity-related stressors and well-being. Findings showed that stereotype confirmation concern significantly predicted less well-being, whereas a positive ethnic identity predicted greater well-being. Ethnic identity also moderated the effect of ethnicity-related stressors on well-being. Different patterns emerged for the moderating effect of different ethnic identity dimensions and different ethnicity-related stressors. Findings are discussed in terms of the acculturative and ethnic diversity context of the college students.

Distorted Reflections: Media Exposure and Latino Adolescents' Conceptions of Self

Because Latinos are underrepresented and often negatively stereotyped in the media, concern is frequently expressed that repeated exposure to these portrayals may reflect poorly on Latino adolescents' self-esteem. To test this issue empirically, we conducted 2 studies examining associations between multiple dimensions of self-esteem and several forms of media use. Testing 40 Latino high school students in Study 1, we found that more frequent and more active TV viewing was associated with lower social and appearance self-esteem. Many of these general patterns were replicated in Study 2 with 115 college students and with several demographic controls. Additional analyses of possible moderators revealed more consistent negative correlations among women and among participants with a stronger Latino ethnic identity. Together, these findings provide powerful evidence of a potential link between media use and the self-conceptions of Latino youth.

University environment as a mediator of Latino ethnic identity and persistence attitudes.

The authors examined whether the perception of the university environment mediated the relationship between ethnic identity and persistence attitudes of Latino college students. Participants were 175 Latino college students who attended a primarily White university. The results supported the hypothesized mediating role of the university environment. Higher Latino ethnic identity was associated with perceiving a more negative university environment and feeling less committed to finishing college. In turn, perception of a negative college environment was associated with feeling less committed to finishing college. When perception of the university environment was removed, no significant relationship was found between ethnic identity and persistence attitudes, indicating that it is the perceived context that influences Latino college students' persistence attitudes.

Latino Panethnicity: Reality or Methodological Construction?

In Census 2000, approximately 15 percent of all Latinos identified panethnically: that is, they did not mark whether they were Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or another national group but rather identified themselves in general terms such as “Hispanic” or “Latino.” This was a 200 percent increase over the 1990 Census. Scholars have pointed to two explanations for Latino panethnic identification: first, that panethnicity is a meaningful identity stemming from shared backgrounds and structural commonalities and the need to unite politically and, second, that Latino panethnicity is a methodological artifact of the way that racial and ethnic data are currently collected. In this paper, we describe past research on Latino ethnic identity, document contemporary expressions of Latino panethnicity, and assess whether panethnicity is a genuine, meaningful identity for some Latinos and stems from methodological factors. Our assessment of Census 2000, the Census 2000 Supplementary Survey, the 2002 National Survey of Latinos, and the Alternative Questionnaire Experiment is that Latino panethnicity is both a substantive and a methodological phenomenon. Consequently, we encourage researchers to acknowledge the complexity and fluidity of Latino ethnicity, to recognize the influence of substantive and methodological factors on Latino panethnicity, and to incorporate multiple data sources in their research.

Individual and Social Influences on Ethnic Identity among Latino Young Adults

Building on prior Latino ethnic identity research, this study had three goals: describe age-related trends in ethnic identity among young adults, examine relations among ethnic identity and individual factors, and explore the impact of family and peer socialization on ethnic identity. The participants (two hundred 19- to 30-year-olds; mean age = 22.5) completed self-report surveys sent to Latino undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in four midwestern institutions of higher education. The findings suggest individual factors are strong predictors of ethnic identity during early adulthood; respondents who were younger, high on Latino orientation, spent more time in the United States, and whose parents had more formal education reported high levels of ethnic identity achievement. In contrast, ethnic identity exploration was higher among individuals whose parents preferred they date Latinos and had less formal education. The findings contribute knowledge regarding ethnic identity and suggest directions for future research on its development among diverse populations.