Is Acculturation Harmful for Hispanic Youth?
 A new report sponsored by The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) found that Hispanic youth are more likely to use illegal drugs than either their White or African-American peers. According to a national survey, slightly more than 10% of Hispanic 8th graders (10.2%) report that they currently use an illicit substance compared to 8.6% of African American and 7.5% of White youth the same age. Although Hispanic youth name marijuana as their most commonly used illegal drug, they also report using cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine at higher rates than youth from other racial backgrounds.
The report also identifies related risk and protective factors among Hispanic youth. The main protective factor against substance use appears to be a good relationship with a parent. Previous research has indicated that nearly two-thirds of Hispanic teens say that one of the main reasons they do not smoke marijuana is because they do not want to either upset or lose the respect of family and friends. However, a press release issued by ONDCP states that parents are having fewer conversations with their children about drug use. This missed opportunity is the inspiration for an advertising campaign, “Open Letter to Parents,” aimed at Hispanic families to encourage talking to their children about drug use.
The primary risk factor identified in the report for drug use among Hispanic youth is acculturation. According to one recent study cited in the ONDCP report, acculturated Hispanic youth were nearly 13 times more likely to report using illegal drugs as non-acculturated Hispanics.* This study also found that acculturated Hispanic youth were slightly more likely to report current drug use than their White peers (7% vs. 6%). However, the rate of illegal drug use among non-acculturated Hispanic youth was less than 1%. Based on these data, the report states that “Adoption of American culture and lifestyle (acculturation) increases the risk of drug use by Hispanics” (p. 1).
* For this study, acculturation was measured by language preference: youth were considered acculturated if they chose to take the survey in English, and non-acculturated if they chose to take the survey in Spanish (definition of acculturation aquired via personal communication with the author, Scott Akins, Oregon State University).
Questions for Discussion:
- Are you surprised that Hispanic youth report the highest level of drug use? Why or why not?
- Do you think that family influence has a greater impact on a Hispanic youth’s choice whether or not to use drugs, or do family relationships have the same impact on youth drug use regardless of culture?
- The report concludes that it is the “adoption of American culture and lifestyle” that influences Hispanic youth to use drugs. Why do you think that acculturation is associated with higher drug use in Hispanic youth?
- In the article cited above, acculturation was measured by language preference: youth were considered acculturated if they chose to take the survey in English, and non-acculturated if they chose to take the survey in Spanish. What do you think is the best way to assess acculturation?
- Other research has shown that acculturation in Hispanic youth is also associated with higher levels of sexual activity and eating disorder symptoms. Given these findings, should we be discouraging acculturation in Hispanic families that move to the United States in order to protect the health of their children?
Your thoughts…
Comments:
 Despite problems, such as those pointed out below, with the way acculturation is defined, I think there is accumulating evidence that US culture is in fact toxic. The mental health and physical health of immigrants is consistently higher than that of native born US residents. This improved status declines across the next generations, with immigrants' children and grandchildren coming to resemble the relatively worse off US non-immigrants. We have become so used to thinking of ourselves as well off because of our relatively high incomes, but neglect the growing evidence that the radical income differences, the increasingly winner-take-all nature of our society, the stresses we put on people to succeed and the barriers we put in the way of those who struggle--all of these factors create a great class of people who lose out. The psychological and physiological consequences of being at the bottom of the pecking order are myriad and profound. Even those who do not really want materially are made to feel inferior to those who have more. Couple that with our failing health care system and cuts to public funding for treatment of addictions and mental health disorders, and it becomes easy to see why people who come here often sink rather than swim. Posted Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 09:10 AM
"Acculturated" is a multifaceted word. If it implies conformity to the dominant culture, particularly when the parent is less acculturated, then the danger of drug use may be high. If it implies comfort with a diversity of cultures, especially when family boundaries are not rigid, then perhaps peer-related drug problems may be less, for individuality may be thereby strengthened. Posted Friday, October 12, 2007 by Jim Erickson at 04:12 PM
I think we have to be very careful and suspect of studies that use terminology in a way that shifts its original meaning or intent. Acculturation may not necessarily be to blame as much as assimilation. In order to integrate into a culture other than yor own acculturation is needed. It is a process that eventually leads to becoming bi-cultural and rather fuctioning in two or more cultures. This process does not inherently create high risk behavior unless it is compounded with other high risk factors. Assimilation poses more of a risk factor in my opinion because of the rejection of the indivual's culture and assimilation to a different culture than often times do not fully accept people of color. Posted Thursday, October 11, 2007 by Juan M. Escutia, M.S. at 09:05 AM
I would like to see further research dealing with:
1. family history of drug use in those families in which acculturation is correlated, not caused, with higher drug use.
2. personality variables in drug users vs. non-drug users.
3. strength of relationship with family members.
4. what is/are drug users'
concept(s) of the American way of life.
5. shaping acculturation and affect on drug use.
My assuption is that acculturation is a necessary ingrediant for a strong nation.
Posted Wednesday, October 10, 2007 by Thomas N. Elliott, Ph.D. at 05:45 AM
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