Domains matter: A prospective investigation of traditional feminine gender roles and alcohol use among Latinas.

Scholars suggest traditional feminine gender roles (TFGRs) influence alcohol use among U.S. Latinas, but relevant literature is limited. This two-wave study examined how multi-dimensional internal (i.e., beliefs) and external (i.e., practices) TFGR processes related to drinking among college-bound Latina emerging adults across time. TFGRs characterized by virtue predicted less alcohol engagement, while some TFGR dimensions (e.g., subordinate) predicted more. TFGR practices more strongly predicted cross-sectional alcohol outcomes than TFGR beliefs, although some TFGR beliefs predicted later drinking. These findings highlight the utility of assessing multiple TFGR dimensions and domains to better understand the link between TFGRs and drinking among Latinas.

A Bidimensional Examination of Machismo in Relation to Risky Sexual Cognitions and Behavior among Latino College Men.

Objective: College students and Latina/o individuals are disproportionately affected by adverse consequences related to risky sex, highlighting the importance of examining sociocultural factors related to risky sexual variables among Latina/o college students. We explored the link between machismo (a bidimensional form of masculinity often ascribed to Latino men) and risky sexual outcomes among Latino college men. Methods: Latino college men responded to an online study assessing two dimensions of machismo, and risky sexual cognitions (eg, risky sexual intentions) and behavior (eg, condom use). Results: Among our findings, a hypermasculine dimension of machismo predicted greater intentions to engage in risky sex, and more positive condom use attitudes. A dimension of machismo characterized by respect and chivalry predicted more frequent condom use. Conclusions: These findings indicate the relation between machismo and risky sex among Latino college men is complex, underscoring the need for sociocultural considerations in culturally tailored collegiate sexual-risk prevention programs.

The combined relations of gender, enculturation, and depressive symptoms with health risk behaviors in Mexican-Americans: a moderated mediation analysis.

Objectives: The present study investigated the relationships of enculturation and depressive symptoms with health risk behavior engagement in Mexican-American college students and examined how these relationships differed by gender. Previous research has noted consistent gender differences in health risk behavior (e.g. alcohol use, substance use, and risky sexual behavior) among Latina/os, and emphasized the role of U.S. acculturation in this difference. Research examining the role of heritage cultural retention (i.e. enculturation), and including the added influence of mental health variables, such as depressive symptoms, is currently lacking. This study sought to address this gap.Design: A large sample (N = 677) of Mexican-American college students from four universities (located in New York, California, Florida, and Texas) completed an online questionnaire assessing health risk behaviors and corresponding variables.Results: We found that males who endorsed more behavioral enculturation and depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in health risk behavior than all others in the sample. Contrary to previous literature, no relationship was found between behavioral enculturation and health risk behavior in females.Conclusion: The current study found behavioral enculturation to be associated with depressive symptoms, and in turn with health risk behaviors among the males in our sample. Additional research will be needed to identify the mechanism underlying the relationship between enculturation and depressive symptoms as well as between depressive symptoms and risky behavior.

Smoking expectancies and health perceptions: An analysis of Hispanic subgroups.

Research suggests different patterns of cigarette smoking behaviors across Hispanic subgroups. However, research examining differences in known cognitive correlates of smoking behavior (e.g., beliefs about smoking and perceived consequences of smoking) is lacking. The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, given the dearth of research examining cigarette smoking across Hispanic subgroups, we sought to replicate previous findings related to disparities in smoking behavior across four subgroups (i.e., Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban American, and Dominican American). Second, we sought to extend previous work by examining Hispanic subgroup differences across a range of smoking-related cognitive factors (i.e., positive and negative beliefs, perceived health risks, and perceived social consequences). This study used data from 1021 Hispanic individuals from four universities in the U.S. (i.e., Texas, California, New York, Florida) in a project funded by the American Legacy Foundation. Results indicated that Cuban Americans reported more current smoking than any other subgroup and the most positive beliefs about smoking, although Puerto Ricans endorsed the fewest negative beliefs about smoking out of all the groups. There were also differences across subgroups on some perceived health risks of smoking (e.g., Cubans were most likely to believe that smoking was a risk factor for diabetes) and perceived social consequences of smoking (e.g., Mexican Americans were less likely to perceive negative social consequences from not smoking). This study underscores the need to account for heterogeneity within the Hispanic population in tobacco research to more effectively inform future research and prevention practices.

Undesirable Effects of Working While in College: Work-School Conflict, Substance Use, and Health.

Inter-role conflict occurs when the demands of one area of an individual's life interfere with the responsibilities of another area. Although a large body of research exists on the health effects of the inter-role conflict between work and family (work-family conflict or WFC), far less exists on the inter-role conflict between work and school (work-school conflict or WSC). Given that over two-thirds of college students have outside employment while enrolled in classes, and the potentially negative effects of WSC, a further understanding of WSC is an important part of supporting student health and well-being as well as the health and well-being of the workforce. This study analyzed data from 2,055 participants drawn from a Web-based survey of four geographically and ethnically diverse educational institutions across the United States. Participants reported their current employment characteristics as well as their alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use, depressive symptomatology, and physical health. Participants with higher WSC reported higher levels of substance use and depressive symptomatology and worse physical health. Further analyses revealed the pattern of results to be consistent with the notion that the subjective experience of conflict between work and school created an aversive psychological state, and that state impacted substance use and health.

Low self-esteem and positive beliefs about smoking: a destructive combination for male college students.

INTRODUCTION: Men exhibit higher rates of smoking relative to women (CDC, 2014). Given the associated health and socio-economic consequences, it would be valuable to explore the psychological factors underlying this variance. We contend that positive beliefs about smoking influence this difference, and that self-esteem moderates these beliefs. METHOD: As part of a multi-institutional collaborative study funded by the American Legacy Foundation, 445 participants who reported being either steady or occasional smokers completed a series of questionnaires assessing their beliefs and behaviors involving smoking as well as several dispositional variables. Moderated mediation was used to test for conditional indirect effects. RESULTS: The total, indirect, and direct effects of gender were significant for individuals with lower, but not higher self-esteem. Males with lower self-esteem exhibited more positive beliefs and smoking behavior than females with lower self-esteem. No differences between males and females with higher self-esteem were observed. CONCLUSION: The gender gap in smoking behavior appears to occur primarily among individuals with lower self-esteem. It is a particularly detrimental risk factor for males, as it is related to higher positive views about smoking and increased tobacco consumption. These results highlight the importance of developing multifaceted gender specific belief-based preventative interventions to address smoking related behaviors.

Variation in BAS-BIS profiles across categories of cigarette use.

Cigarette smoking is a major health concern, especially among college students. Research suggests a number of individual difference variables may be useful for identifying people at risk of becoming smokers and their likelihood of successfully quitting. The current study focuses on individual differences relating to Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivity (BIS) and the fun seeking, reward responsiveness, and drive aspects of Behavioral Approach System sensitivity (BAS). The former relates to mitigation of potential threat, whereas the latter three relate to different motivations for approach. Noting that existing literature suggests the considerations influencing whether a person experiments with cigarettes differ from those influencing who becomes a habitual smoker which in turn differ from those influencing whether a person quits smoking, we hypothesized that never smokers, experimenters, smokers, and former smokers would differ from each other on BIS, fun seeking, reward responsiveness, and drive in predictable ways. Moreover, we predicted these groups would differ from each other in terms of member profiles across these four variables. We assessed these predictions in a sample of college students from geographically diverse institutions within the United States (N=1840). The profile for never smokers was characterized by high BIS and low fun seeking, that of experimenters by moderately high BIS, high fun seeking, and moderate reward responsiveness, and that of former smokers by moderate BIS, high fun seeking, high reward responsiveness, and high drive. Contrary to expectations, current smokers were low on all four of these characteristics.