TY - JOUR
T1 - Acculturation stress, anxiety disorders, and alcohol dependence in a select population of young adult Mexican Americans
AU - Ehlers, Cindy L.
AU - Gilder, David A.
AU - Criado, Jose R.
AU - Caetano, Raul
PY - 2009/12
Y1 - 2009/12
N2 - Objectives: Mexican Americans comprise one of the most rapidly growing populations in the United States, and within this population, the process of acculturation has been suggested to be associated with some mental health problems. This study sought to ascertain quantitative information indexing acculturation stress and it's association with mental health disorders in a select community sample of Mexican Americans. Methods: Demographic information, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-III-R diagnoses, and information on cultural identity and acculturation stress were obtained from 240 Mexican American young adults that were recruited by fliers and were residing in selected areas of San Diego. Results: No associations were found between measures of cultural identification and lifetime diagnoses of drug or alcohol dependence, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, or antisocial personality disorder or conduct disorder in this sample of Mexican American young adults. However, lifetime diagnoses of alcohol dependence, substance dependence, and anxiety disorders were associated with elevations in acculturation stress. Conclusion: Quantitative measures of acculturation stress, but not cultural identity per se, were found to be associated significantly with substance dependence and anxiety disorders in this select population of Mexican American young adults. These data may be helpful in designing prevention and intervention programs for this high-risk population.
AB - Objectives: Mexican Americans comprise one of the most rapidly growing populations in the United States, and within this population, the process of acculturation has been suggested to be associated with some mental health problems. This study sought to ascertain quantitative information indexing acculturation stress and it's association with mental health disorders in a select community sample of Mexican Americans. Methods: Demographic information, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-III-R diagnoses, and information on cultural identity and acculturation stress were obtained from 240 Mexican American young adults that were recruited by fliers and were residing in selected areas of San Diego. Results: No associations were found between measures of cultural identification and lifetime diagnoses of drug or alcohol dependence, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, or antisocial personality disorder or conduct disorder in this sample of Mexican American young adults. However, lifetime diagnoses of alcohol dependence, substance dependence, and anxiety disorders were associated with elevations in acculturation stress. Conclusion: Quantitative measures of acculturation stress, but not cultural identity per se, were found to be associated significantly with substance dependence and anxiety disorders in this select population of Mexican American young adults. These data may be helpful in designing prevention and intervention programs for this high-risk population.
KW - Acculturation stress
KW - Alcohol dependence
KW - Anxiety disorders
KW - Mexican Americans
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=76649129033&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=76649129033&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/ADM.0b013e3181ab6db7
DO - 10.1097/ADM.0b013e3181ab6db7
M3 - Article
C2 - 20161543
AN - SCOPUS:76649129033
VL - 3
SP - 227
EP - 233
JO - Journal of Addiction Medicine
JF - Journal of Addiction Medicine
SN - 1932-0620
IS - 4
ER -