The role of ecodevelopmental context and self-concept in depressive and externalizing symptoms in Hispanic adolescents

Abstract

The present study examined the extent to which self-concept is related to depressive and externalizing symptoms in Hispanic adolescents, in the presence of contextual variables. A sample of 167 Hispanic adolescents and their primary caregivers completed measures of family functioning, and of school bonding and competence. Adolescents completed measures of self-concept and peer antisocial behavior. Reports of depressive symptoms were gathered from adolescents only, whereas reports of externalizing symptoms were gathered from both adolescents and parents. Self-concept was directly and negatively related to adolescent reports of both depressive and externalizing symptoms, but not to parent reports of externalizing problems. The relationships of school bonding and peer antisocial behavior to adolescent-reported adjustment appeared to operate through self-concept, and the strong bivariate relationships of adolescent-reported family functioning to adolescent-reported adjustment appeared to operate through school bonding and self-concept. Implications for further research and for intervention are discussed.

Keywords

depression externalizing Hispanic self-concept social context

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Achenbach, T. M. , Dumenci, L. , & Rescorla, L. A. (2002). Ten-year comparisons of problems and competencies for national samples of youth: Self-parent, and teacher reports . Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 10, 194-203 .

Arbona, C. , Jackson, R. H. , McCoy, A. , & Blakely, C. (1999). Ethnic identity as a predictor of attitudes of adolescents toward fighting . Journal of Early Adolescence, 19, 323-340 .

Aunola, K. , Stattin, H. , & Nurmi, J. E. (2000). Adolescents’ achievement strategies, school adjustment, and externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors . Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29, 289-306 .

Bandalos, D. L. , & Finney, S. J. (2001). Item parceling issues in structural equation modeling. In G. A. Marcoulides & R. E. Schumacker (Eds.), New developments and techniques in structural equation modeling (pp. 269-296). Mahawah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates .

Bentler, P. M. , & Yuan, K. H. (1999). Structural equation modeling with small samples: Test statistics . Multivariate Behavioral Research, 34, 181-197 .

Birmaher, B. , Arbelaez, C. , & Brent, D. (2002). Course and outcome of child and adolescent major depressive disorder . Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 11, 619-638 .

Botvin, G. J. , Botvin, E. M. , Baker, E. , Dusenbury, L. , & Goldberg, C. J. (1992). The false consensus effect: Predicting adolescents’ tobacco use from normative expectations . Psychological Reports, 70, 171-178 .

Bracken, B. A. , Bunch, S. , Keith, T. Z. , & Keith, P. B. (2000). Child and adolescent multidimensional self-concept: A five-instrument factor analysis . Psychology in the Schools, 37, 483-493 .

Brame, B. , Nagin, D. S. , & Tremblay, R. E. (2001). Developmental trajectories of physical aggression from school entry to late adolescence . Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 42, 503-512 .

10.

Brendgen, M. , Vitaro, F. , & Bukowski, W. M. (2000). Deviant friends and early adolescents’ emotional and behavioral adjustment . Journal of Research on Adolescence, 10, 173-189 .

11.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). Contexts of child rearing: Problems and prospects . American Psychologist, 34, 844-850 .

12.

Burt, K. B. , van Dulmen, M. H. M. , Carlivati, J. , Egeland, B. , Sroufe, L. A. , Forman, D. R. , Appleyard, K. , & Carlson, E. A. (2005). Mediating links between maternal depression and offspring psychopathology: The importance of independent data . Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 46, 490-499 .

13.

Byrne, B. M. (2001). Structural equation modeling with AMOS: Basic concepts, applications, and programming. Mahawah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates .

14.

Cheung, G. W. , & Rensvold, R. B. (2002). Evaluating goodness-of-fit indexes for testing measurement invariance . Structural Equation Modeling, 9, 233-255 .

15.

Coatsworth, J. D. , Pantin, H. , & Szapocznik, J. (2002). Familias unidas: A family centered ecodevelopmental intervention to reduce risk for problem behavior among Hispanic adolescents . Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 5(2), 113-132 .

16.

Cohen, J. , & Cohen, P. (1983). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum .

17.

Conners, C. K. , Wells, K. C. , Parker, J. D. , Sitarenios, G. , Diamond, J. M. , & Powell, J. W. (1997). A new self report scale for assessment of adolescent psychopathology: Factor structure, reliability, validity, and diagnostic sensitivity . Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 25, 487-497 .

18.

Cullinan, D. Harniss, M. , Epstein, M. H. , & Ryser, G. (2001). The Scale for Assessing Emotional Disturbance: Concurrent validity . Journal of Child and Family Studies, 10, 487-497 .

19.

Day, J. C. (1996). Population projections of the United States by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin: 1995 to 2050 (Current Population Report P25-1130). Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau .

20.

Dishion, T. J. , Capaldi, D. , Spracklin, K. M. , & Li, F. (1995). Peer ecology of male adolescent drug use . Development and Psychopathology, 7, 803-824 .

21.

Dodge, K. A. , & Pettit, G. S. (2003). A biopsychosocial model of the development of chronic conduct problems in adolescence . Developmental Psychology, 39, 349-371 .

22.

Donnellan, M. B. , Trzesniewski, K. H. , Robins, R. W. , Moffitt, T. E. , & Caspi, A. (2005). Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency . Psychological Science, 16, 328-335 .

23.

Dubow, E. F. , & Ullman, D. G. (1989). Assessing social support in elementary school children: The Survey of Children’s Social Support . Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 18, 52-64 .

24.

Dubow, E. F. , Edwards, S. , & Ippolito, M. F. (1997). Life stressors, neighborhood disadvantage, and resources: A focud on inner-city children’s adjustment . Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 26, 130-144 .

25.

Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and society. New York: Norton .

26.

Fergusson, D. M. , & Woodward, L. J. (2002). Mental health, education, and social role outcomes of adolescents with depression . Archives of General Psychiatry, 59, 225-231 .

27.

Formoso, D. , Gonzales, N. A. , & Aiken, L. S. (2000). Family conflict and children’s internalizing and externalizing behavior: Protective factors . American Journal of Community Psychology, 28, 175-199 .

28.

Fornell, C. R. , & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Two structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error . Journal of Marketing Research, 18, 39-50 .

29.

Francoeur, R. B. (2005). The relationship of cancer symptom clusters to depressive affect in the initial phase of palliative radiation . Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 29, 130-155 .

30.

Gorman-Smith, D. , Tolan, P. H. , Zelli, A. , & Huesmann, L. R. (1996). The relation of family functioning to violence among inner-city minority youths . Journal of Family Psychology, 10, 115-129 .

31.

Greene, J. P. , & Forster, G. (2003). Public high school graduation and college readiness rates in the United States. New York: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research .

32.

Grills, A. E. , & Ollendick, T. H. (2002). Peer victimization, global self-worth, and anxiety in middle school children . Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 31, 59-68 .

33.

Grotevant, H. D. , & Cooper, C. R. (1986). Individuation in family relationships: A perspective on individual differences in the development of identity and role-taking skill in adolescence . Human Development, 29, 82-100 .

34.

Guay, F. , Marsh, H. W. , & Boivin, M. (2003). Academic self-concept and academic achievement: Perspectives on their causal ordering . Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 124-136 .

35.

Haley, J. (1976). Problem-solving therapy. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass .

36.

Hardoon, K. K. , Gupta, R. , & Deverensky, J. L. (2004). Psychosocial variables associated with adolescent gambling . Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18, 170-179 .

37.

Harter, S. (1993). Causes and consequences of low self-esteem in children and adolescents. In R. F. Baumeiser (Ed.), Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard (pp. 87-116). New York: Plenum .

38.

Harter, S. (1999). The construction of the self: A developmental perspective. New York: Guilford .

39.

Harter, S. , Bresnick, S. , Bouchey, H. A. , & Whitesell, N. R. (1997). The development of multiple role-related selves during adolescence . Development and Psychopathology, 9, 835-853 .

40.

Harter, S. , Stocker, C. , & Robinson, N. S. (1996). The perceived directionality of the link between approval and self-worth: The liabilities of a looking-glass self-orientation among young adolescents . Journal of Research on Adolescence, 6, 285-308 .

41.

Harter, S. , & Whitesell, N. R. (1996). Multiple pathways to self-reported depression and psychological adjustment among adolescents . Development and Psychopathology, 8, 761-777 .

42.

Hawkins, J. , Catalano, R. , & Miller, J. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: Implications for substance abuse prevention . Psychological Bulletin, 112, 64-105 .

43.

Henderson, C. E. , Dakof, G. A. , Schwartz, S. J. , & Liddle, H. A. (in press). Family functioning, self-concept, and severity of adolescent externalizing problems . Journal of Child and Family Studies.

44.

Ibañez, G. E. , Kuperminc, G. P. , Jurkovic, G. , & Perrilla, J. (2004). Cultural attributes and adaptations linked to achievement motivation among Latino adolescents . Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 33, 559-568 .

45.

Jenkins, S. R. , Goodness, K. , & Buhrmester, D. (2002). Gender differences in early adolescents’ relationship qualities, self-efficacy, and depression symptoms . Journal of Early Adolescence, 22, 277-309 .

46.

Johnston, L. , O’Malley, P. , & Bachman, J. (1996). National survey results on drug use from the Monitoring the Future Study, 1975-1995, Volume I: Secondary school students. Rockville, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse .

47.

Keith, T. Z. (2006). Multiple regression and beyond. Boston: Allyn and Bacon .

48.

Keller, M. C. , & Nesse, R. M. (2005). Is low mood an adaptation? Evidence for subtypes with symptoms that match precipitants . Journal of Affective Disorders, 86, 27-35 .

49.

Kline, R. B. (1998). Principles and practices of structural equation modeling. New York: Guilford .

50.

Kurtines, W. M. , & Szapocznik, J. (1995). Cultural competence in assessing Hispanic youth and families: Challenges in the assessment of treatment needs and treatment evaluation for Hispanic drug abusing adolescents. In E. Rahdert (Ed.), Adolescent drug abuse: Clinical assessment and therapeutic interventions (pp. 172-189). Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse .

51.

Lerner, R. M. , Freund, A. , DeStefanis, I. , & Habermas, T. (2001). Understanding developmental regulation in adolescence: The use of the selection, optimization, and compensation model . Human Development, 44, 29-50 .

52.

Lerner, R. M. , & Steinberg, L. (Eds.). (2004). Handbook of adolescent psychology. New York: John Wiley .

53.

Levitt, M. J. , Guacci-Franco, N. , & Levitt, J. L. (1993). Convoys of social support in childhood and early adolescence: Structure and function . Developmental Psychology, 29, 811-818 .

54.

Little, T. D. , Cunningham, W. A. , Shahar, G. , & Widaman, K. F. (2002). To parcel or not to parcel: Exploring the question, weighing the merits . Structural Equation Modeling, 9, 151-173 .

55.

Locke, T. F. , Newcomb, M. D. , & Goodyear, R. K. (2005). Childhood experiences and psychosocial influences on risky sexual behavior, condom use, and HIV attitudes-behaviors among Latino males . Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 6, 25-38 .

56.

Loeber, R. , Farrington, D. P. , Stouthamer-Loeber, M. , & Van Kammen, W. B. (1998). Multiple risk factors for multiproblem boys: Co-occurrence of delinquency, substance use, attention deficit, conduct problems, physical aggression, covert behavior, depressed mood, and shy/withdrawn behavior. In R. Jessor (Ed.), New perspectives on adolescent risk behavior (pp. 90-149). New York: Cambridge University Press .

57.

Lopez, C. , & DuBois, D. D. (2005). Peer victimization and rejection: Investigation of an integrative model of effects on emotional, behavioral, and academic adjustment in early adolescence . Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34, 25-36 .

58.

MacKinnon, D. P. , Lockwood, C. M. , Hoffman, J. M. , West, S. G. , & Sheets, V. (2002). A comparison of methods to test mediation and other intervening variable effects . Psychological Methods, 7, 83-104 .

59.

Maddox, S. J. , & Prinz, R. J. (2003). School bonding in children and adolescents: Conceptualization, assessment, and associated variables . Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 6(1), 31-49 .

60.

Marotta, S. A. , & Garcia, J. G. (2003). Latinos in the United States in 2000 . Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 25, 13-34 .

61.

Minuchin, S. (1974). Families and family therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press .

62.

Nevitt, J. , & Hancock, G. R. (2004). Evaluating small sample approaches for model test statistics in structural equation modeling . Multivariate Behavioral Research, 39, 439-478 .

63.

Newcomb, M. D. , Locke, T. K. , & Goodyear, R. K. (2003). Childhood experiences and psychosocial influences on HIV risk among adolescent Latinas in southern California . Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 9, 219-235 .

64.

Newsom, J. T. (2002). A multilevel structural equation model for dyadic data . Structural Equation Modeling, 9, 431-447 .

65.

Olson, S. L. , Bates, J. E. , Sandy, J. M , & Lanthier, R. (2000). Early developmental precursors of externalizing behavior in middle childhood and adolescence . Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 28, 119-133 .

66.

Pantin, H. , Coatsworth, J. D. , Feaster, D. J. , Newman, F. L. , Briones, E. , Prado, G. , Schwartz, S. J. , & Szapocznik, J. (2003). Familias unidas: Efficacy of an intervention to promote parental investment in Hispanic immigrant families . Prevention Science, 4, 199-211 .

67.

Pantin, H. , Schwartz, S. J. , Sullivan, S. , Coatsworth, J. D. , & Szapocznik, J. (2003). Preventing substance abuse in Hispanic immigrant adolescents: An ecodevelopmental, parent-centered approach . Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 25, 469-500 .

68.

Pettit, G. S. , Bates, J. E. , & Dodge, K. A. (1997). Supportive parenting, ecological context, and children’s adjustment: A seven-year longitudinal study . Child Development, 68, 908-923 .

69.

Pettit, G. S. , Clawson, M. A. , Dodge, K. A. , & Bates, J. E. (1996). Stability and change in peer-rejected status: The role of child behavior, parenting, and family ecology . Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 42, 267-294 .

70.

Piers, E. V. (1984). The Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale (Rev. ed.). Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services .

71.

Portes, P. R. , & Zady, M. F. (2001). Self-esteem in the adaptation of Spanish-speaking adolescents: The role of immigration, family conflict, and depression . Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 24, 296-318 .

72.

Prinstein, M. J. , Cheah, C. S. L. , & Guyer, A. E. (2005). Peer victimization, cue interpretation, and internalizing symptoms: Preliminary concurrent and longitudinal findings for children and adolescents . Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34, 11-24 .

73.

Prinstein, M. J. , & Wang, S. S. (2005). False consensus and adolescent peer contagion: Examining discrepancies between perceptions and actual reported levels of friends’ deviant and health risk behaviors . Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 293-306 .

74.

Quay, H. C. , & Peterson, D. R. (1987). Manual for the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist. Coral Gables, FL: University of Miami .

75.

Quintana, S. M. , & Maxwell, S. E. (1999). Implications of recent developments in structural equation modeling for counseling psychology . Counseling Psychologist, 27, 485-527 .

76.

Radloff, L. (1977). The CES-D Scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population . Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385-401 .

77.

Ramirez, R. R. , & de la Cruz, G. P. (2003). The Hispanic population in the United States: March 2002 (Current Population Report P20-545). Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau .

78.

Reitz, E. , Deković, M. , & Meijer, A. M. (2005). The structure and stability of externalizing and internalizing problem behavior during adolescence . Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 34, 577-588 .

79.

Resnicow, K. (1996). School Attitudes/Bonding Scale. Unpublished measure, Emory University, Atlanta, GA .

80.

Resnicow, K. (1997). Behavior scale for inner city minority youth. Unpublished measure, Emory University, Atlanta, GA .

81.

Resnicow, K. , Ross-Gaddy, D. , & Vaughan, R. (1995). Structure of problem and positive behaviors in African American youths . Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 594-603 .

82.

Rio, A. T. , Quay, H. C. , Santisteban, D. A. , & Szapocznik, J. (1989). Factor-analytic study of a Spanish translation of the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist . Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 18, 343-350 .

83.

Rodriguez-Brown, F. V. , & Meehan, M. A. (1998). Family literacy and adult education: Project FLAME. In M. C. Smith (Ed.), Literacy for the twenty-first century: Research, policy, practices, and the National Adult Literacy Survey (pp. 175-193). Westport, CT: Praeger .

84.

Schwartz, S. J. (2005). A new identity for identity research: Recommendations for expanding and refocusing the identity literature . Journal of Adolescent Research, 20, 293-308 .

85.

Schwartz, S. J. , Montgomery, M. J. , & Briones, E. (2006). The role of identity in acculturation among immigrant people: Theoretical propositions, empirical questions, and applied recommendations . Human Development, 49, 1-30 .

86.

Schwartz, S. J. , Pantin, H. , Prado, G. , Sullivan, S. , & Szapocznik, J. (2005). Family, identity, and behavior problems in Hispanic immigrant early adolescents . Journal of Early Adolescence, 25, 392-420 .

87.

Schwartz, S. J. , Pantin, H. , Sullivan, S. , Prado, G. , & Szapocznik, J. (2006). Nativity and years in the receiving culture as markers of acculturation in ethnic enclaves . Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 37, 345-353 .

88.

Snyder, H. N. , & Sickmund, M. (1999). Juvenile offenders and victims: 1999 national report. Pittsburgh, PA: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention .

89.

Steer, R. A. , Kumar, G. , & Beck, A. T. (2001). Use of the Conners-Wells Adolescent Self-report Scale: Short form with psychiatric outpatients . Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 23, 231-239 .

90.

Szapocznik, J. , & Coatsworth, J. D. (1999). An ecodevelopmental framework for organizing the influences on drug abuse: A developmental model of risk and protection. In M. D. Glantz & C. R. Hartel (Eds.), Drug abuse: Origins and interventions (pp. 331-366). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association .

91.

Szapocznik, J. , & Kurtines, W. M. (1993). Family psychology and cultural diversity: Opportunities for theory, research and application . American Psychologist, 48, 400-407 .

92.

Tein, J. Y. , Roosa, M. W. , & Michaels, M. (1994). Agreement between parent and child reports on parental behaviors . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56, 341-355 .

93.

Tolan, P. H. , Gorman-Smith, D. , Huesmann, L. R. , & Zelli, A. (1997). Assessment of family relationship characteristics: A measure to explain risk for antisocial behavior and depression among urban youth . Psychological Assessment, 9, 212-223 .

94.

Vandenberg, R. J. , & Lance, C. E. (2000). A review and synthesis of the measurement invariance literature: Suggestions, practices, and recommendations for organizational research . Organizational Research Methods, 3, 4-70 .

95.

Vazsonyi, A. T. (2003). Parent-adolescent relations and problem behaviors: Hungary, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States . Marriage and Family Review, 35, 161-187 .

96.

Vitaro, F. , Brendgen, M. , & Tremblay, R. E. (2000). Influence of deviant friends on delinquency: Searching for moderator variables . Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 28, 313-325 .

97.

Wight, R. G. , Sepulveda, J. E. , & Aneshensel, C. S. (2004). Depressive symptoms: How do adolescents compare with adults? Journal of Adolescent Health, 34, 314-323 .