Abstract/Details

Substance use among immigrant youth in Chicago

Shekarkhar, Zahra.   University of Florida ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  2015. 10103023.

Abstract (summary)

This study analyzed the 12- and 15-year old cohorts from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) to examine self-reported substance use among 814 first, second, and third-plus generation immigrant youth. Differences in cigarette use, alcohol use, marijuana use, binge drinking, and substance use frequency were examined. The Intergenerational Cultural Dissonance (ICD) perspective (Choi, He, & Harachi, 2008) was used to try to understand the relationship between generational status and substance use. 1CD often occurs when parents and children clash over cultural values and may also occur when children's learning of American ways (i.e., English language, American food, American dress, American holidays, education system, labor market structure, health care system) and loss of the immigrant culture, outpaces that of their parents. Given this dissonance, or gap, between parent and child, parent-child conflict is likely to arise. Moreover, parent-child conflict has been shown to have negative consequences on youth behavior. Thus, the possible mediating role of parent-child conflict was examined in this study.

Results from a series of multilevel models fail to support a mediation effect of parent-child conflict. The results, however, still suggest that parent-child conflict, particularly, psychological aggression to be significantly predictive of some types of substance use such as alcohol and cigarette use. Generational status fails to be a significant predictor of substance use in the multilevel models. However, another measure of acculturation, primary caregiver's acculturation level does appear to be a significant predictor of some types of conflict and substance use.

Overall, these findings are not in line with past studies that find significant generational differences across substance use and they are also inconsistent with ICD. Future studies should continue to explore whether generational differences exist across a variety of youth behavior while controlling for theoretically and empirically relevant variables. (Full text of this dissertation may be available via the University of Florida Libraries web site. Please check http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/etd.html)

Indexing (details)


Subject
Criminology
Classification
0627: Criminology
Identifier / keyword
Social sciences
Title
Substance use among immigrant youth in Chicago
Author
Shekarkhar, Zahra
Number of pages
0
Degree date
2015
School code
0070
Source
DAI-A 77/09(E), Dissertation Abstracts International
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
Country of publication
United States
Advisor
Gibson, Chris
University/institution
University of Florida
University location
United States -- Florida
Degree
Ph.D.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
10103023
ProQuest document ID
1784001923
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/docview/1784001923