Dataset Information

Refining acculturation measures for health research: Latina/o heterogeneity in the National Latino and Asian American Study.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: This study factor analyzes six scales relating to acculturation and related experiences among a nationally representative sample of United States-residing Latina/os (n = 2,541) from the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS), using measurement invariance (MI) testing to explore differences in latent constructs by Latina/o subgroup.

Methods: Factor Analysis (FA) within an Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling framework was used to analyze the factor structure of six scales measuring acculturation and related experiences (i.e., acculturation [language use and preference], enculturation [ethnic identity], discrimination, neighborhood context, and family environment). We tested for MI by two important Latina/o subgroups: ethnic heritage and generational status.

Results: The underlying latent factors resulting from FA strongly aligned with the NLAAS subscales. No scale achieved full MI, yet the degree to which MI held varied greatly by scale and by subgroup.

Conclusions: Findings show that Latina/os are heterogeneous, but that this often depends on the construct and subgrouping of interest. Future research should use these scales in a latent framework, accounting for the lack of MI, to ensure that the underlying acculturative constructs of interest are validly measured when investigating their association with mental health outcomes in this population.

SUBMITTER: Roth KB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7723201 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Refining acculturation measures for health research: Latina/o heterogeneity in the National Latino and Asian American Study.

Roth Kimberly B KB Musci Rashelle J RJ Eaton William W WW

International journal of methods in psychiatric research 20200826 4

<h4>Objectives</h4>This study factor analyzes six scales relating to acculturation and related experiences among a nationally representative sample of United States-residing Latina/os (n = 2,541) from the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS), using measurement invariance (MI) testing to explore differences in latent constructs by Latina/o subgroup.<h4>Methods</h4>Factor Analysis (FA) within an Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling framework was used to analyze the factor structure ...[more]

PMID: 32845559

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Project description:RATIONALE:Research shows that acculturation is important to Latinas' dietary intake and related behaviors. Although evidence suggests children may also play a role, it remains unclear whether children's acculturation is related to mothers' dietary intake/behaviors. OBJECTIVES:We examined the relationship between Latino children's acculturation and mothers' dietary intake/behaviors. We also examined the mother-child acculturation gap to identify dyad characteristics associated with mothers' diet. METHODS:Baseline surveys were collected in 2010 from 314 Latino mother-child (7-13 years old) dyads of Mexican-origin enrolled in a family-based dietary intervention in Southern California, USA. Mother's daily intake of fruits, vegetables, and sugary beverages, percent of calories from fat, weekly away-from-home eating, and percent of weekly grocery dollars spent on fruits and vegetables were assessed via self-report. Mothers' and children's bidimensional acculturation were examined using acculturation groups (e.g., assimilated, bicultural) derived from Hispanic and non-Hispanic dimensions of language. We also assessed the acculturation gap between mothers and children with the a) difference in acculturation between mothers' and children's continuous acculturation scores and b) mother-child acculturation gap typologies (e.g., traditional mothers of assimilated children). RESULTS:Findings show that having an assimilated versus a bicultural child was negatively associated with mothers' vegetable intake and positively associated with mothers' sugary beverage intake, percent of calories from fat, and frequency of away-from-home eating, regardless of mothers' acculturation. Traditional mothers of assimilated children reported more sugary beverage intake, calories from fat, and more frequent away-from-home eating than traditional mothers of bicultural children. CONCLUSION:Results suggest that children's acculturation is associated with their mothers' dietary intake/behaviors and traditional mothers of assimilated children require more attention in future research.

Dataset Information

Refining acculturation measures for health research: Latina/o heterogeneity in the National Latino and Asian American Study.

Publications

Refining acculturation measures for health research: Latina/o heterogeneity in the National Latino and Asian American Study.

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