Gender Differences in the Effect of Linguistic Acculturation on Substance Use Among Mexican-Origin Youth in the Southwest United States

Abstract

This study tested for gender differences in the impact of linguistic acculturation on pro-drug norms, substance use intentions, and actual substance use among youth of Mexican heritage in a large metropolitan area in the Southwest United States. The authors analyzed baseline survey data provided by 2,487 middle school students of Mexican heritage who were part of a larger, multiethnic randomized efficacy trial of a drug abuse prevention program. Using multi-group structural equation modeling, the authors found that linguistic acculturation was positively and directly related to adherence to pro-drug norms, substance use intentions, and recent alcohol use, controlling for age, poor grades, and socioeconomic status. In addition, linguistic acculturation had an indirect effect on substance use intentions and recent alcohol use through pro-drug norms. The direct effect of linguistic acculturation on pro-drug norms was stronger for girls than for boys, as was its indirect effect on substance use intentions.

KEYWORDS:

• acculturation
• gender differences
• Mexican American youth
• substance use
• substance use norms

Supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse grants funding the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center (R24 DA13937), the Drug Resistance Strategies III project (R01 DA05629), and the DRS Next Generation project (R01 DA14825).

Notes

∗∗∗p < .0001; ∗∗p < .01; ∗p < .05.

Fit Statistics: χ² = 454.63, df = 65, RMSEA = 0.069, NFI = 0.957, NNFI = 0.948.

^a Paths that differed significantly by gender are indicated through either bold (p < .05) or italicized (p < .10) coefficients.

∗∗∗p < .0001; ∗∗p < .01.

Fit Statistics: χ² = 81.67, df = 35, RMSEA = 0.033, NFI = 0.98, NNFI = 0.98.

^a Paths that differed significantly by gender are indicated through either bold (p < .05) or italicized (p < .10) coefficients.