Transmission of Cultural Values Among Mexican-Origin Parents and their Adolescent and Emerging Adult Offspring
Date
2015-06Metadata
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The integration of the U.S. and Mexican culture is an important process associated with Mexicanorigin youths’ adjustment and family dynamics. The current study examined the reciprocal
associations in parents’ and two offspring’s cultural values (i.e., familism and respect) in 246
Mexican-origin families. Overall, mothers’ values were associated with increases in youths’
values five years later. In contrast, youths’ familism values were associated with increases in
fathers’ familism values five years later. In addition, developmental differences emerged where
parent-to-offspring effects were more consistent for youth transitioning from early to late
adolescence than for youth transitioning from middle adolescence to emerging adulthood. Finally,
moderation by immigrant-status revealed a youth-to-parent effect for mother-youth immigrant
dyads, but not for dyads where youth were U.S.-raised. Our findings highlight the reciprocal
nature of parent-youth value socialization and provide a nuanced understanding of these processes
through the consideration of familism and respect values. As Mexican-origin youth represent a
large and rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population, research that advances our
understanding of how these youth develop values that foster family cohesion and support are
crucial.