Who are Hispanic Youth? Considerations for Adolescent Addiction Clinical Research and Treatment

Abstract

Despite a strong and growing presence within the United States, there is a history of health disparities for Hispanic populations. These issues have been even more pronounced for Hispanic youth. To take a step towards providing culturally relevant care for Hispanic youth, this article presents an overview of important issues for clinical treatment and research including Hispanic cultural heritage, Hispanic identity, and biculturalism/multiculturalism. Furthermore, this review discusses salient factors for Hispanic youth including acculturation, cultural norms and cultural scripts. Understanding these factors in relation to substance abuse treatment is critical to offering the best services for Hispanic youth.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• Hispanic
• addiction
• culture
• services