Acculturation and Violence in Minority Adolescents
Acculturation and Violence in Minority Adolescents
Although seminal reviews have been published on acculturation and mental health in adults and adolescents, far less is known about how acculturation influences adolescent interpersonal and self-directed violence. This article aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive review of research linking acculturation and violence behavior for adolescents of three minority populations: Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN). The preponderance of evidence from studies on Latino and A/PI youth indicate that higher levels of adolescent assimilation (i.e., measured by time in the United States, English language use, U.S. cultural involvement, or individualism scales) were a risk factor for youth violence. Ethnic group identity or culture-of-origin involvement appear to be cultural assets against youth violence with supporting evidence from studies on A/PI youth; however, more studies are needed on Latino and AI/AN youth. Although some evidence shows low acculturation or cultural marginality to be a risk factor for higher levels of fear, victimization, and being bullied, low acculturation also serves as a protective factor against dating violence victimization for Latino youth. An important emerging trend in both the Latino and, to a lesser extent, A/PI youth literature shows that the impact of acculturation processes on youth aggression and violence can be mediated by family dynamics. The literature on acculturation and self-directed violence is extremely limited and has conflicting results across the examined groups, with high acculturation being a risk factor for Latinos, low acculturation being a risk factor of A/PI youth, and acculturation-related variables being unrelated to suicidal behavior among AI/AN youth. Bicultural skills training as a youth violence and suicide prevention practice is discussed.
Reviews of the association between acculturation and mental health in adults (LaFromboise et al. 1993; Rogler et al. 1991) and in adolescents (Gonzales et al. 2002) have been conducted, but far less is known about how acculturation influences adolescent interpersonal and self-directed violence. Recent overviews have examined possible risk and protective factors linking immigration, acculturation, youth violence, and suicide (Boutakidis et al. 2006; Hovey and King 1997; Soriano et al. 2004); however, no review has critically assessed the scientific rigor and specific results of empirical studies in these areas, except for Le's (2002) review of research on delinquency among Asian/Pacific Islanders. This article fills this gap by providing a comprehensive review of research linking acculturation and violence for Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) adolescents.
Although African American youth are disproportionately impacted by interpersonal violence (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] 2007b, c) and African Americans are the second largest minority group in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau 2007a), this important group is not examined in this review. Extremely few studies have examined the role of acculturation when examining the predictors of behavior of recently immigrated Black youth from Caribbean or African countries (Bui and Thongniramol 2005). In addition, acculturation typically is not a factor considered when examining predictors of violence among African American youth who have resided in the United States for multiple generations. However, the role of cultural identity development and the value of collectivism have been argued to be important factors to consider when examining violence among U.S.-born African American youth (see Whaley 2003, for a review). Future research on the predictors and prevention of violence among these important subgroups of youth should consider the important influence of culture.
In the sections below, we establish the importance of minority and immigrant youth as a burgeoning sociodemographic group that is grappling with interpersonal and self-directed violence as serious public health concerns. Then, we introduce acculturation as a dynamic phenomenon that affects many minority youths. We critically analyze empirical studies testing the relationship between acculturation dynamics and a range of violence outcomes. In the concluding sections, we discuss implications for prevention and intervention programming.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Although seminal reviews have been published on acculturation and mental health in adults and adolescents, far less is known about how acculturation influences adolescent interpersonal and self-directed violence. This article aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive review of research linking acculturation and violence behavior for adolescents of three minority populations: Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN). The preponderance of evidence from studies on Latino and A/PI youth indicate that higher levels of adolescent assimilation (i.e., measured by time in the United States, English language use, U.S. cultural involvement, or individualism scales) were a risk factor for youth violence. Ethnic group identity or culture-of-origin involvement appear to be cultural assets against youth violence with supporting evidence from studies on A/PI youth; however, more studies are needed on Latino and AI/AN youth. Although some evidence shows low acculturation or cultural marginality to be a risk factor for higher levels of fear, victimization, and being bullied, low acculturation also serves as a protective factor against dating violence victimization for Latino youth. An important emerging trend in both the Latino and, to a lesser extent, A/PI youth literature shows that the impact of acculturation processes on youth aggression and violence can be mediated by family dynamics. The literature on acculturation and self-directed violence is extremely limited and has conflicting results across the examined groups, with high acculturation being a risk factor for Latinos, low acculturation being a risk factor of A/PI youth, and acculturation-related variables being unrelated to suicidal behavior among AI/AN youth. Bicultural skills training as a youth violence and suicide prevention practice is discussed.
Introduction
Reviews of the association between acculturation and mental health in adults (LaFromboise et al. 1993; Rogler et al. 1991) and in adolescents (Gonzales et al. 2002) have been conducted, but far less is known about how acculturation influences adolescent interpersonal and self-directed violence. Recent overviews have examined possible risk and protective factors linking immigration, acculturation, youth violence, and suicide (Boutakidis et al. 2006; Hovey and King 1997; Soriano et al. 2004); however, no review has critically assessed the scientific rigor and specific results of empirical studies in these areas, except for Le's (2002) review of research on delinquency among Asian/Pacific Islanders. This article fills this gap by providing a comprehensive review of research linking acculturation and violence for Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) adolescents.
Although African American youth are disproportionately impacted by interpersonal violence (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] 2007b, c) and African Americans are the second largest minority group in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau 2007a), this important group is not examined in this review. Extremely few studies have examined the role of acculturation when examining the predictors of behavior of recently immigrated Black youth from Caribbean or African countries (Bui and Thongniramol 2005). In addition, acculturation typically is not a factor considered when examining predictors of violence among African American youth who have resided in the United States for multiple generations. However, the role of cultural identity development and the value of collectivism have been argued to be important factors to consider when examining violence among U.S.-born African American youth (see Whaley 2003, for a review). Future research on the predictors and prevention of violence among these important subgroups of youth should consider the important influence of culture.
In the sections below, we establish the importance of minority and immigrant youth as a burgeoning sociodemographic group that is grappling with interpersonal and self-directed violence as serious public health concerns. Then, we introduce acculturation as a dynamic phenomenon that affects many minority youths. We critically analyze empirical studies testing the relationship between acculturation dynamics and a range of violence outcomes. In the concluding sections, we discuss implications for prevention and intervention programming.
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