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Papers by Daniel Soto

Research paper thumbnail of Testing the Parent-Adolescent Acculturation Discrepancy Hypothesis: A Five-Wave Longitudinal Study

Journal of Research on Adolescence, 2015

This 2½-year, 5-wave longitudinal study tests the hypothesis that acculturation discrepancies bet... more This 2½-year, 5-wave longitudinal study tests the hypothesis that acculturation discrepancies between Hispanic immigrant parents and adolescents would lead to compromised family functioning, which would then lead to problematic adolescent outcomes. Recent-immigrant Hispanic parent-adolescent dyads (N = 302) completed measures of acculturation and family functioning. Adolescents completed measures of positive youth development, depressive symptoms, problem behavior, and substance use. Results indicated that Time 1 discrepancies in Hispanic culture retention, and linear trajectories in some of these discrepancies, negatively predicted adolescent positive youth development, and positively predicted adolescent depressive symptoms and binge drinking, indirectly through adolescent-reported family functioning. The vast majority of effects were mediated rather than direct, supporting the acculturation discrepancy hypothesis. Implications for further research and intervention are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural measures associated with sexual risk behaviors among Latino youth in Southern California: a longitudinal study

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health, 2014

Cultural variables have been associated with sexual risk behaviors among Latino youth, but findin... more Cultural variables have been associated with sexual risk behaviors among Latino youth, but findings across studies are inconsistent. A longitudinal study of acculturation patterns followed Latino youth in Southern California from 2005 to 2012. Data from 995 participants were used in logistic and ordered regression analyses to test whether cultural variables measured in high school were associated with sexual risk behaviors in emerging adulthood, and whether gender moderated these associations. The cultural value of respect for parents was negatively associated with participants' odds of reporting an earlier age at sexual debut (odds ratio, 0.8) and condom nonuse at most recent sexual intercourse (0.8). A measure of acculturation reflecting U.S. cultural practices was positively associated with the likelihood of being sexually experienced (1.2), having concurrent sexual partners (1.5) and, among males only, having a greater number of sexual partners (1.3). Second- and later-gener...

Research paper thumbnail of The interplay of friendship networks and social networking sites: longitudinal analysis of selection and influence effects on adolescent smoking and alcohol use

American journal of public health, 2014

We examined the coevolution of adolescent friendships and peer influences with respect to their r... more We examined the coevolution of adolescent friendships and peer influences with respect to their risk behaviors and social networking site use. Investigators of the Social Network Study collected longitudinal data during fall 2010 and spring 2011 from 10th-grade students in 5 Southern California high schools (n = 1434). We used meta-analyses of stochastic actor-based models to estimate changes in friendship ties and risk behaviors and the effects of Facebook and MySpace use. Significant shifts in adolescent smoking and drinking occurred despite little change in overall prevalence rates. Students with higher levels of alcohol use were more likely to send and receive friendship nominations and become friends with other drinkers. They were also more likely to increase alcohol use if their friends drank more. Adolescents selected friends with similar Facebook and MySpace use habits. Exposure to friends' risky online pictures increased smoking behaviors but had no significant effects ...

Research paper thumbnail of Acculturation, Enculturation, and Symptoms of Depression in Hispanic Youth: The Roles of Gender, Hispanic Cultural Values, and Family Functioning

Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2012

The risk for depression increases as Hispanic youth acculturate to U.S. society. This association... more The risk for depression increases as Hispanic youth acculturate to U.S. society. This association is stronger for Hispanic girls than boys. To better understand the influence of culture and family on depressive symptoms, we tested a process-oriented model of acculturation, cultural values, and family functioning. The data came from Project RED, which included 1,922 Hispanic students (53 % girls; 86 % were 14 years old; and 84 % were U.S. born) from Southern California. We used data from 9th to 11th grade to test the influence of acculturation-related experiences on depressive symptoms over time. Multi-group structural equation analysis suggested that both family conflict and cohesion were linked with depressive symptoms. Hispanic cultural values were associated with family cohesion and conflict but the strength and direction of these relationships varied across cultural values and gender. For girls and boys, familismo and respeto were associated with higher family cohesion and lower family conflict. Moreover, gender roles were linked with higher family cohesion in girls but not in boys. These results indicate that improving family functioning will be beneficial for boys' and girls' psychological well-being. This may be achieved by promoting familismo and respeto for boys and girls and by promoting traditional gender roles for girls.

Research paper thumbnail of Peer Influences: The Impact of Online and Offline Friendship Networks on Adolescent Smoking and Alcohol Use

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2014

Online social networking sites (SNSs) have become a popular mode of communication among adolescen... more Online social networking sites (SNSs) have become a popular mode of communication among adolescents. However, little is known about the effects of social online activity on health behaviors. The authors examined the use of SNSs among friends and the degree to which SNS activities relate to face-to-face peer influences and adolescent risk behaviors. online displays.

Research paper thumbnail of A Comparison of Peer Influence Measures as Predictors of Smoking Among Predominately Hispanic/Latino High School Adolescents

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2013

Purpose-Consistent evidence has shown that one of the most significant influences on adolescent s... more Purpose-Consistent evidence has shown that one of the most significant influences on adolescent smoking is peer influence. There is considerable variation, however, in how peer influence is measured. This study constructs social network influence and selection variables from egocentric and sociometric data to compare their associations with smoking with considerations of perceived smoking norms and adolescent popularity. Methods-Longitudinal data were collected in 9 th and 10 th grades in October 2006 and 2007 from predominantly Hispanic/Latino adolescents in seven southern California schools among which 1,950 adolescents completed surveys at both waves. Both cross-sectional (separately for 9 th and 10 th graders) and longitudinal models were estimated. Results-An ego-centric measure of perceived friend smoking was strongly and consistently associated with individual smoking (AOR 1.80, p<0.001) whereas its sociometric counterpart of friend self-report smoking was only associated with smoking in 9 th grade cross-sectional models (e.g., AOR=1.56, p<0.001) and rarely in longitudinal models. Popularity, measured by proportion of nominations received by class size, was associated with smoking and becoming a smoker (AOR=1.67, p<0.001) whereas perceived norms was not in longitudinal models. Friend selection was also associated with becoming a smoker (AOR=1.32, p=0.05). Conclusions-This study illustrates the utility of ego-centric data for understanding peer influence and underscores the importance of perceptions and popularity as mechanisms that influence adolescent smoking.

Research paper thumbnail of Acculturation, gender, depression, and cigarette smoking among U.S. Hispanic youth: the mediating role of perceived discrimination

Journal of youth and adolescence, 2011

Hispanic youth are at risk for experiencing depressive symptoms and smoking cigarettes, and risk ... more Hispanic youth are at risk for experiencing depressive symptoms and smoking cigarettes, and risk for depressive symptoms and cigarette use increase as Hispanic youth acculturate to U.S. culture. The mechanism by which acculturation leads to symptoms of depression and cigarette smoking is not well understood. The present study examined whether perceived discrimination explained the associations of acculturation with depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking among 1,124 Hispanic youth (54% female). Youth in Southern California completed surveys in 9th-11th grade. Separate analyses by gender showed that perceived discrimination explained the relationship between acculturation and depressive symptoms for girls only. There was also evidence that discrimination explained the relationship between acculturation and cigarette smoking among girls, but the effect was only marginally significant. Acculturation was associated with depressive symptoms and smoking among girls only. Perceived discr...

Research paper thumbnail of Perceived discrimination as a risk factor for depressive symptoms and substance use among Hispanic adolescents in Los Angeles

Ethnicity & Health, 2012

Objectives-Discrimination has been associated with adverse psychological and physical health outc... more Objectives-Discrimination has been associated with adverse psychological and physical health outcomes, but few studies have examined the effects of discrimination on Hispanic adolescents. This study assessed the relation of perceived discrimination with depressive symptoms and drug use. Covariates included immigrant generation status (GS). A second objective was to examine the potentially moderating effect of neighborhoods' ethnic composition as suggested by Mair et al. Design-Secondary data analyses of a longitudinal survey examined self-reports of Hispanic adolescents in 9th grade (the first year of high school) and 11th grade at seven high schools in Los Angeles. Results-(1) Perceiving discrimination in 9th grade significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β = 0.23, p<0.01) and drug use (β = 0.12, p<0.01) in 11th grade, even after controlling for socioeconomic status, gender, acculturation, and GS in the USA. The third GS group reported significantly higher perceptions of discrimination compared to newer immigrants. (2) Neighborhoods' ethnic composition was included as a moderator of the association between perceived discrimination and the outcomes, but did not moderate the relation. Conclusion-Teaching Hispanic adolescents effective strategies for coping with discrimination, such as increasing their sense of belongingness in the American mainstream, may prove useful in preventing drug use and depressive symptoms.

Research paper thumbnail of Developmental Trajectories of Acculturation in Hispanic Adolescents: Associations With Family Functioning and Adolescent Risk Behavior

Child Development, 2013

The present study examined longitudinal acculturation patterns, and their associations with famil... more The present study examined longitudinal acculturation patterns, and their associations with family functioning and adolescent risk behaviors, in Hispanic immigrant families. A sample of 266 Hispanic adolescents (mean age 13.4) and their primary parents completed measures of acculturation, family functioning, and adolescent conduct problems, substance use, and sexual behavior at five timepoints. Mixture models yielded three trajectory classes apiece for adolescent and parent acculturation. Assimilated adolescents reported the poorest family functioning, but adolescent assimilation negatively predicted adolescent cigarette smoking, sexual activity, and unprotected sex indirectly through family functioning. Follow-up analyses indicated that discrepancies between adolescent and parent family functioning reports predicted these adolescent outcomes. Results are discussed regarding acculturation trajectories, adolescent risk behavior, and the mediating role of family functioning.

Research paper thumbnail of Acculturation and perceived discrimination: Predictors of substance use trajectories from adolescence to emerging adulthood among Hispanics

Addictive Behaviors, 2014

Purpose-Previous studies have documented associations between cultural factors and substance use ... more Purpose-Previous studies have documented associations between cultural factors and substance use among Hispanic adolescents. Negative cultural experiences such as discrimination have been associated with an increased risk of substance use among Hispanic adolescents, whereas positive cultural resources, such as maintenance of Hispanic cultural orientations, have shown protective effects. However, few studies have examined the continuing influence of cultural factors on substance use from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Methods-We surveyed a cohort of Hispanic adolescents in Southern California in 9 th , 10 th , and 11 th grades, and 3-4 years after high school. Growth curve analyses were conducted to examine the effects of U.S. acculturation, Hispanic acculturation, ethnic identity, and perceived discrimination on change in tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use over time. Results-Higher perceived discrimination at baseline was significantly associated with a higher intercept (initial level) of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Higher initial level of Hispanic acculturation was significantly associated with a lower slope of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use.

Research paper thumbnail of Do adolescent drug use consequences predict externalizing and internalizing problems in emerging adulthood as well as traditional drug use measures in a Hispanic sample?

Addictive Behaviors, 2014

The present study compares statistical models for three conceptualizations of drug use in 11 th g... more The present study compares statistical models for three conceptualizations of drug use in 11 th grade (past 30 day ever/never use, past 30 day frequency of drug use and past 30 day drug use consequences) with externalizing and internalizing problems in emerging adulthood when controlling for age, academic achievement and socioeconomic status in a Hispanic sample. Multivariate logistic regression models for the different drug use variables were compared when modeling weapon carrying, arrest, multiple lifetime sex partners, drug/alcohol use before sex and condom use in emerging adulthood. A multivariate linear regression model was used to model depression in emerging adulthood as a function of drug use measurement controlling for other covariates and depression in adolescence. Our findings suggest that any conceptualization of drug use will produce equitable results and model fit statistics when examining externalizing problems. However, when investigating internalizing problems, such as depression, lower frequency drug use-and not high frequency-was more strongly associated with depression whereas experiencing high levels of drug use consequences-and not low levels of consequences-was associated with depression in emerging adulthood despite similar model fit values. Variation between drug use and the experience of drug use consequences may lead to misspecification of "at-risk" subgroups of drug users. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Testing the Parent-Adolescent Acculturation Discrepancy Hypothesis: A Five-Wave Longitudinal Study

Journal of Research on Adolescence, 2015

This 2½-year, 5-wave longitudinal study tests the hypothesis that acculturation discrepancies bet... more This 2½-year, 5-wave longitudinal study tests the hypothesis that acculturation discrepancies between Hispanic immigrant parents and adolescents would lead to compromised family functioning, which would then lead to problematic adolescent outcomes. Recent-immigrant Hispanic parent-adolescent dyads (N = 302) completed measures of acculturation and family functioning. Adolescents completed measures of positive youth development, depressive symptoms, problem behavior, and substance use. Results indicated that Time 1 discrepancies in Hispanic culture retention, and linear trajectories in some of these discrepancies, negatively predicted adolescent positive youth development, and positively predicted adolescent depressive symptoms and binge drinking, indirectly through adolescent-reported family functioning. The vast majority of effects were mediated rather than direct, supporting the acculturation discrepancy hypothesis. Implications for further research and intervention are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural measures associated with sexual risk behaviors among Latino youth in Southern California: a longitudinal study

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health, 2014

Cultural variables have been associated with sexual risk behaviors among Latino youth, but findin... more Cultural variables have been associated with sexual risk behaviors among Latino youth, but findings across studies are inconsistent. A longitudinal study of acculturation patterns followed Latino youth in Southern California from 2005 to 2012. Data from 995 participants were used in logistic and ordered regression analyses to test whether cultural variables measured in high school were associated with sexual risk behaviors in emerging adulthood, and whether gender moderated these associations. The cultural value of respect for parents was negatively associated with participants' odds of reporting an earlier age at sexual debut (odds ratio, 0.8) and condom nonuse at most recent sexual intercourse (0.8). A measure of acculturation reflecting U.S. cultural practices was positively associated with the likelihood of being sexually experienced (1.2), having concurrent sexual partners (1.5) and, among males only, having a greater number of sexual partners (1.3). Second- and later-gener...

Research paper thumbnail of The interplay of friendship networks and social networking sites: longitudinal analysis of selection and influence effects on adolescent smoking and alcohol use

American journal of public health, 2014

We examined the coevolution of adolescent friendships and peer influences with respect to their r... more We examined the coevolution of adolescent friendships and peer influences with respect to their risk behaviors and social networking site use. Investigators of the Social Network Study collected longitudinal data during fall 2010 and spring 2011 from 10th-grade students in 5 Southern California high schools (n = 1434). We used meta-analyses of stochastic actor-based models to estimate changes in friendship ties and risk behaviors and the effects of Facebook and MySpace use. Significant shifts in adolescent smoking and drinking occurred despite little change in overall prevalence rates. Students with higher levels of alcohol use were more likely to send and receive friendship nominations and become friends with other drinkers. They were also more likely to increase alcohol use if their friends drank more. Adolescents selected friends with similar Facebook and MySpace use habits. Exposure to friends' risky online pictures increased smoking behaviors but had no significant effects ...

Research paper thumbnail of Acculturation, Enculturation, and Symptoms of Depression in Hispanic Youth: The Roles of Gender, Hispanic Cultural Values, and Family Functioning

Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2012

The risk for depression increases as Hispanic youth acculturate to U.S. society. This association... more The risk for depression increases as Hispanic youth acculturate to U.S. society. This association is stronger for Hispanic girls than boys. To better understand the influence of culture and family on depressive symptoms, we tested a process-oriented model of acculturation, cultural values, and family functioning. The data came from Project RED, which included 1,922 Hispanic students (53 % girls; 86 % were 14 years old; and 84 % were U.S. born) from Southern California. We used data from 9th to 11th grade to test the influence of acculturation-related experiences on depressive symptoms over time. Multi-group structural equation analysis suggested that both family conflict and cohesion were linked with depressive symptoms. Hispanic cultural values were associated with family cohesion and conflict but the strength and direction of these relationships varied across cultural values and gender. For girls and boys, familismo and respeto were associated with higher family cohesion and lower family conflict. Moreover, gender roles were linked with higher family cohesion in girls but not in boys. These results indicate that improving family functioning will be beneficial for boys' and girls' psychological well-being. This may be achieved by promoting familismo and respeto for boys and girls and by promoting traditional gender roles for girls.

Research paper thumbnail of Peer Influences: The Impact of Online and Offline Friendship Networks on Adolescent Smoking and Alcohol Use

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2014

Online social networking sites (SNSs) have become a popular mode of communication among adolescen... more Online social networking sites (SNSs) have become a popular mode of communication among adolescents. However, little is known about the effects of social online activity on health behaviors. The authors examined the use of SNSs among friends and the degree to which SNS activities relate to face-to-face peer influences and adolescent risk behaviors. online displays.

Research paper thumbnail of A Comparison of Peer Influence Measures as Predictors of Smoking Among Predominately Hispanic/Latino High School Adolescents

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2013

Purpose-Consistent evidence has shown that one of the most significant influences on adolescent s... more Purpose-Consistent evidence has shown that one of the most significant influences on adolescent smoking is peer influence. There is considerable variation, however, in how peer influence is measured. This study constructs social network influence and selection variables from egocentric and sociometric data to compare their associations with smoking with considerations of perceived smoking norms and adolescent popularity. Methods-Longitudinal data were collected in 9 th and 10 th grades in October 2006 and 2007 from predominantly Hispanic/Latino adolescents in seven southern California schools among which 1,950 adolescents completed surveys at both waves. Both cross-sectional (separately for 9 th and 10 th graders) and longitudinal models were estimated. Results-An ego-centric measure of perceived friend smoking was strongly and consistently associated with individual smoking (AOR 1.80, p<0.001) whereas its sociometric counterpart of friend self-report smoking was only associated with smoking in 9 th grade cross-sectional models (e.g., AOR=1.56, p<0.001) and rarely in longitudinal models. Popularity, measured by proportion of nominations received by class size, was associated with smoking and becoming a smoker (AOR=1.67, p<0.001) whereas perceived norms was not in longitudinal models. Friend selection was also associated with becoming a smoker (AOR=1.32, p=0.05). Conclusions-This study illustrates the utility of ego-centric data for understanding peer influence and underscores the importance of perceptions and popularity as mechanisms that influence adolescent smoking.

Research paper thumbnail of Acculturation, gender, depression, and cigarette smoking among U.S. Hispanic youth: the mediating role of perceived discrimination

Journal of youth and adolescence, 2011

Hispanic youth are at risk for experiencing depressive symptoms and smoking cigarettes, and risk ... more Hispanic youth are at risk for experiencing depressive symptoms and smoking cigarettes, and risk for depressive symptoms and cigarette use increase as Hispanic youth acculturate to U.S. culture. The mechanism by which acculturation leads to symptoms of depression and cigarette smoking is not well understood. The present study examined whether perceived discrimination explained the associations of acculturation with depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking among 1,124 Hispanic youth (54% female). Youth in Southern California completed surveys in 9th-11th grade. Separate analyses by gender showed that perceived discrimination explained the relationship between acculturation and depressive symptoms for girls only. There was also evidence that discrimination explained the relationship between acculturation and cigarette smoking among girls, but the effect was only marginally significant. Acculturation was associated with depressive symptoms and smoking among girls only. Perceived discr...

Research paper thumbnail of Perceived discrimination as a risk factor for depressive symptoms and substance use among Hispanic adolescents in Los Angeles

Ethnicity & Health, 2012

Objectives-Discrimination has been associated with adverse psychological and physical health outc... more Objectives-Discrimination has been associated with adverse psychological and physical health outcomes, but few studies have examined the effects of discrimination on Hispanic adolescents. This study assessed the relation of perceived discrimination with depressive symptoms and drug use. Covariates included immigrant generation status (GS). A second objective was to examine the potentially moderating effect of neighborhoods' ethnic composition as suggested by Mair et al. Design-Secondary data analyses of a longitudinal survey examined self-reports of Hispanic adolescents in 9th grade (the first year of high school) and 11th grade at seven high schools in Los Angeles. Results-(1) Perceiving discrimination in 9th grade significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β = 0.23, p<0.01) and drug use (β = 0.12, p<0.01) in 11th grade, even after controlling for socioeconomic status, gender, acculturation, and GS in the USA. The third GS group reported significantly higher perceptions of discrimination compared to newer immigrants. (2) Neighborhoods' ethnic composition was included as a moderator of the association between perceived discrimination and the outcomes, but did not moderate the relation. Conclusion-Teaching Hispanic adolescents effective strategies for coping with discrimination, such as increasing their sense of belongingness in the American mainstream, may prove useful in preventing drug use and depressive symptoms.

Research paper thumbnail of Developmental Trajectories of Acculturation in Hispanic Adolescents: Associations With Family Functioning and Adolescent Risk Behavior

Child Development, 2013

The present study examined longitudinal acculturation patterns, and their associations with famil... more The present study examined longitudinal acculturation patterns, and their associations with family functioning and adolescent risk behaviors, in Hispanic immigrant families. A sample of 266 Hispanic adolescents (mean age 13.4) and their primary parents completed measures of acculturation, family functioning, and adolescent conduct problems, substance use, and sexual behavior at five timepoints. Mixture models yielded three trajectory classes apiece for adolescent and parent acculturation. Assimilated adolescents reported the poorest family functioning, but adolescent assimilation negatively predicted adolescent cigarette smoking, sexual activity, and unprotected sex indirectly through family functioning. Follow-up analyses indicated that discrepancies between adolescent and parent family functioning reports predicted these adolescent outcomes. Results are discussed regarding acculturation trajectories, adolescent risk behavior, and the mediating role of family functioning.

Research paper thumbnail of Acculturation and perceived discrimination: Predictors of substance use trajectories from adolescence to emerging adulthood among Hispanics

Addictive Behaviors, 2014

Purpose-Previous studies have documented associations between cultural factors and substance use ... more Purpose-Previous studies have documented associations between cultural factors and substance use among Hispanic adolescents. Negative cultural experiences such as discrimination have been associated with an increased risk of substance use among Hispanic adolescents, whereas positive cultural resources, such as maintenance of Hispanic cultural orientations, have shown protective effects. However, few studies have examined the continuing influence of cultural factors on substance use from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Methods-We surveyed a cohort of Hispanic adolescents in Southern California in 9 th , 10 th , and 11 th grades, and 3-4 years after high school. Growth curve analyses were conducted to examine the effects of U.S. acculturation, Hispanic acculturation, ethnic identity, and perceived discrimination on change in tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use over time. Results-Higher perceived discrimination at baseline was significantly associated with a higher intercept (initial level) of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Higher initial level of Hispanic acculturation was significantly associated with a lower slope of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use.

Research paper thumbnail of Do adolescent drug use consequences predict externalizing and internalizing problems in emerging adulthood as well as traditional drug use measures in a Hispanic sample?

Addictive Behaviors, 2014

The present study compares statistical models for three conceptualizations of drug use in 11 th g... more The present study compares statistical models for three conceptualizations of drug use in 11 th grade (past 30 day ever/never use, past 30 day frequency of drug use and past 30 day drug use consequences) with externalizing and internalizing problems in emerging adulthood when controlling for age, academic achievement and socioeconomic status in a Hispanic sample. Multivariate logistic regression models for the different drug use variables were compared when modeling weapon carrying, arrest, multiple lifetime sex partners, drug/alcohol use before sex and condom use in emerging adulthood. A multivariate linear regression model was used to model depression in emerging adulthood as a function of drug use measurement controlling for other covariates and depression in adolescence. Our findings suggest that any conceptualization of drug use will produce equitable results and model fit statistics when examining externalizing problems. However, when investigating internalizing problems, such as depression, lower frequency drug use-and not high frequency-was more strongly associated with depression whereas experiencing high levels of drug use consequences-and not low levels of consequences-was associated with depression in emerging adulthood despite similar model fit values. Variation between drug use and the experience of drug use consequences may lead to misspecification of "at-risk" subgroups of drug users. Implications and future directions are discussed.