Central American adolescent acculturation and parental distress: Relationship to ratings of adolescent behavior problems

This study examined the relationship of acculturation and Central American adolescents' behavioral problems as reported by their parents. Cross-sectional survey data regarding demography, acculturation, and psychosocial functioning was examined among 112 urban adolescent immigrants, aged 12 to 17 years. Analysis indicated that, when parents and adolescents differed in acculturation, parents most frequently rated their adolescent with internalizing symptoms at a clinically elevated level. Parents' education and distress predicted parents' reports of adolescents' psychosocial problems beyond demographic factors, respondents' characteristics, and parents' and adolescents' acculturation. Higher relative acculturation among adolescents, but not parents, was the most robust predictor of parental distress scores, indicating that parental distress mediates the relationship between high relative acculturation of the adolescents and their psychosocial problems as reported by parents. Implications for research and clinicians conducting mental health interventions with Central American populations are briefly discussed.