DISENTANGLING THE EFFECTS OF CULTURAL BROKERING AMONG MEXICAN-HERITAGE YOUTH

Open Access
- Author:
- Kam, Jennifer A.
- Graduate Program:
- Communication Arts and Sciences
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- May 01, 2009
- Committee Members:
- Michael L Hecht, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Michael L Hecht, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Jon F Nussbaum, Committee Member
Michelle E Day, Committee Member
Pui Wa Lei, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Mexican-heritage youth
academic performance
cultural brokering
language brokering
parentification
general strain theory
substance use - Abstract:
- Within the U.S., immigrants’ success in managing their daily activities is often predicated on their ability to communicate in an English-speaking world and to maneuver within mainstream culture. This need to communicate in a different language and culture remains a challenge for many immigrant families, forcing a number of them to rely on younger family members as “cultural brokers.” The literature on cultural brokering reveals that although such activities may be important for family, they may have both positive and negative consequences for the cultural brokering children. The pervasiveness of the immigrant experience suggests that this may present a significant public health concern and challenge to communication theory. This dissertation called upon role theory, general strain theory, independent/interdependent scripts, and a translation-based theory to guide a line of research to address this concern. The first study examined a model of cultural brokering derived from the four theoretical perspectives. Tenets of these four perspectives argued that: (1) cultural brokering leads to parentification, (2) cultural brokering leads to stress, (3) cultural brokering does not lead to parentification, and (4) cultural brokering improves cognitive and linguistic skills. In turn, these processes, parentification, stress, and skills, influence health-related behaviors and academic performance. A more complex conceptualization of cultural brokering that separates the frequency of these actions from the attitudes toward these actions were posed as a means for resolving some of the inconsistencies in previous studies and synthesizing the theories. Mexican-heritage youth (N = 1,110) from 23 public schools in Phoenix, AZ completed surveys at four waves, from 6th through 8th grades. Cultural brokering frequency had an indirect effect on alcohol use through adult parentification. Negative cultural brokering attitudes had an indirect effect on cigarette use through acculturation stress. English reading speed partially mediated the association between brokering frequency and grades, along with negative cultural brokering attitudes and grades. These findings emphasize how researchers must consider various aspects (e.g., frequency and attitudes) of cultural brokering because they are likely to operate differently in relation to health behaviors and academic performance. Because cultural brokering frequency and negative cultural brokering attitudes have potentially harmful effects on Mexican-heritage youth, the second study examined whether a culturally-grounded school-based substance use prevention program, keepin’ it REAL, had effects on initial levels and changes in ethnic identification and whether these changes, in turn, were associated with changes in cultural brokering frequency or negative cultural brokering attitudes. Mexican-heritage youth (NW4 = 676, NW5 = 586, NW6 = 508) from 23 public schools in Phoenix, AZ completed surveys at three waves, from 7th through 8th grades. The results revealed no significant program effects on initial levels or changes in ethnic identification. Only initial levels of ethnic identification were significantly associated with initial levels of cultural brokering frequency and negative cultural brokering attitudes. This current body of research reveals that cultural brokering frequency places Mexican-heritage youth at risk for alcohol use through adult parentification, whereas negative cultural brokering attitudes place these youth at risk for cigarette smoking through acculturation stress. With respect to grades, as youth participated in cultural brokering more often, they were more likely to read English faster, and in turn, more likely to report higher grades. In contrast, as these youth reported higher levels of negative cultural brokering attitudes, they were less likely to read English fast and less likely to report higher grades. Given these key findings, prevention researchers must identify and target factors that will decrease negative cultural brokering attitudes and that will promote healthier coping strategies for cultural brokering youth.