Acculturative stress and cigarette smoking among Latino adolescents in Southern California

Introduction: The present study examines the relationship between acculturative stress, ethnic cultural identity and cigarette smoking among Hispanic/Latino adolescents in Southern California. Sample: Study participants were 1950 Hispanic/Latino high school students enrolled in 8 schools in the Los Angeles area. The sample was 56% female, mean age of 16 years. Methods: Trained study staff members administered a self-report survey to all students at the high schools who provided parental consent and assent to participate in the study. All study procedures and instruments were approved by the USC IRB. Measures: Acculturative stress was assessed by 20-items, 5-point Likert scale (Cronbach's alpha=0.93) and two parent-adolescent acculturation discrepancy variables that assess discrepancy between the parent and adolescents' acculturation to U.S. culture or retention of Hispanic/Latino culture (Cronbach's alpha=0.76-0.92). Ethnic cultural identity was assessed by a 12-item scale (Cronbach's alpha=0.90). Lifetime smoking and past 30-day cigarette smoking were each assessed by one dichotomous item (0=no, 1=yes). All analyses were conducted with SAS v. 9.1.3 and controlled for age, gender and SES. Results: In the first logistic regression model, acculturative stress was statistically significantly associated with increased likelihood of lifetime cigarette smoking (p<0.05) and ethnic cultural identity was marginally significantly associated with lower lifetime cigarette smoking (p=0.06). In the second logistic regression model, acculturative stress was marginally significantly associated with an increased likelihood of lifetime cigarette smoking and ethnic cultural identity was marginally significantly associated with lower cigarette smoking (p=0.06). Additional mediators (e.g., coping) and moderators (e.g., gender) of these relationships are presently being tested.