Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences Department, and the Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA and the University of Texas School of Public Health, Dallas, TX 75390.
J Addict Med. 2009 Dec;3(4):227-33. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0b013e3181ab6db7.
Mexican Americans comprise one of the most rapidly growing populations in the U.S. and within this population the process of acculturation has been suggested to be associated with some mental health problems. This study sought to ascertain quantitative information indexing acculturation stress and its association with mental health disorders in a select community sample of Mexican Americans.
Demographic information, DSM-III-R diagnoses, and information on cultural identity and acculturation stress were obtained from 240 Mexican American young adults that were recruited by fliers and were residing in selected areas of San Diego.
No associations were found between measures of cultural identification and lifetime diagnoses of drug or alcohol dependence, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders or antisocial personality disorder/conduct disorder in this sample of Mexican American young adults. However, lifetime diagnoses of alcohol dependence, substance dependence, and anxiety disorders were associated with elevations in acculturation stress.
Quantitative measures of acculturation stress, but not cultural identity per se, were found to be significantly associated with substance dependence and anxiety disorders in this select population of Mexican American young adults. These data may be helpful in designing prevention and intervention programs for this high risk population.
墨西哥裔美国人是美国人口增长最快的群体之一，在这一群体中，文化适应过程被认为与一些心理健康问题有关。本研究旨在确定在墨西哥裔美国人的一个特定社区样本中，衡量文化适应压力及其与心理健康障碍之间关联的定量信息。
从通过传单招募的居住在圣地亚哥选定地区的 240 名墨西哥裔美国年轻成年人那里获得人口统计学信息、DSM-III-R 诊断以及文化认同和文化适应压力方面的信息。
在这个墨西哥裔美国年轻成年人样本中，文化认同的衡量标准与药物或酒精依赖、重性抑郁障碍、焦虑障碍或反社会人格障碍/品行障碍的终生诊断之间没有关联。然而，酒精依赖、物质依赖和焦虑障碍的终生诊断与文化适应压力的升高有关。
在这个特定的墨西哥裔美国年轻成年人群体中，文化适应压力的定量衡量标准，但不是文化认同本身，与物质依赖和焦虑障碍显著相关。这些数据可能有助于为这一高风险人群设计预防和干预计划。
