Cory L Cobb1, Seth J Schwartz2, Christopher P Salas-Wright3, Miguel Pinedo1, Priscilla Martinez4, Alan Meca5, Alejandra G Isaza6, Elma I Lorenzo-Blanco1, Heather McClure6, Flavio F Marsiglia7, Charles R Martínez1, Miguel Ángel Cano8. 1. Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. 2. Public Health Sciences, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA. 3. Department of Human Behavior, School of Social Work, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 4. Alcohol Research Group, Emeryville, California, USA. 5. Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA. 6. College of Education, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA. 7. School of Social Work, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA. 8. Department of Epidemiology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Hispanic immigrants exhibit more positive outcomes than U.S.-born Hispanics across educational, psychological, and physical health indices, a phenomenon called the immigrant paradox. We examined the immigrant paradox in relation to alcohol use severity among Hispanic young adults while considering both positive (optimism) and negative (depressive symptoms) processes. METHOD: Among 200 immigrant and U.S.-born Hispanic young adults (Mage = 21.30; 49% male) in Arizona and Florida, we tested whether optimism and depressive symptoms statistically mediated the relationship between nativity and alcohol use severity. Specifically, we examined whether Hispanic immigrants reported greater optimism than their U.S.-born counterparts, and whether such optimism was, in turn, associated with less depressive symptoms and thus lower alcohol use severity. RESULTS: Indirect effects were significant in hypothesized directions (nativity → optimism → depressive symptoms → alcohol use severity). CONCLUSIONS: Both positive and negative psychological processes are important to consider when accounting for the immigrant paradox vis-à-vis alcohol use severity among Hispanic young adults.
OBJECTIVE: Hispanic immigrants exhibit more positive outcomes than U.S.-born Hispanics across educational, psychological, and physical health indices, a phenomenon called the immigrant paradox. We examined the immigrant paradox in relation to alcohol use severity among Hispanic young adults while considering both positive (optimism) and negative (depressive symptoms) processes. METHOD: Among 200 immigrant and U.S.-born Hispanic young adults (Mage = 21.30; 49% male) in Arizona and Florida, we tested whether optimism and depressive symptoms statistically mediated the relationship between nativity and alcohol use severity. Specifically, we examined whether Hispanic immigrants reported greater optimism than their U.S.-born counterparts, and whether such optimism was, in turn, associated with less depressive symptoms and thus lower alcohol use severity. RESULTS: Indirect effects were significant in hypothesized directions (nativity → optimism → depressive symptoms → alcohol use severity). CONCLUSIONS: Both positive and negative psychological processes are important to consider when accounting for the immigrant paradox vis-à-vis alcohol use severity among Hispanic young adults.