A LONGITUDINAL TEST OF MEXICAN TEEN MOTHERS’ CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CHILDREN’S LANGUAGE SKILLS VIA MOTHERS’ LANGUAGE

Author

Arlenis A. Santana, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow

DOI

https://doi.org/10.25772/FQYY-MD07

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8755-7327

Defense Date

2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Chelsea Williams

Second Advisor

Dr. Rosalie Corona

Third Advisor

Dr. Gabriela León-Pérez

Abstract

The current study includes 204 Mexican teen mothers and their children from a larger study who were interviewed when children were 3 years old (Wave 4; W4), 4 years old (W5), and 5 years old (W6). The current study is guided by the integrative model of developmental competencies (García Coll et al., 1996), which suggests that parents’ adaptive cultural characteristics and exchanges with their children inform children’s developmental competencies. Thus, the current study examined whether teen mothers’ adaptive cultural characteristics (i.e., familism values, language competency pressures, and involvement in Mexican culture and U.S. mainstream culture) at W4 informed mothers’ Spanish language use with their children at W5 and, in turn, children’s subsequent Spanish language abilities at W6. The current meditation model was tested with path analysis in Mplus. Results indicated that five mediational processes were significant, such that mothers’ familism values, Spanish competency pressures, and involvement in U.S. mainstream culture at W4 were associated with mothers’ lower Spanish language use with children at W5 and, in turn, children’s Spanish language abilities at W6. Mothers’ involvement in Mexican culture and English competency pressures at W4 were associated with mothers’ greater Spanish language use with children at W5 and, in turn, children’s Spanish language abilities at W6. Additionally, mothers’ involvement in U.S. mainstream culture at W4 was directly associated with children’s lower Spanish language abilities at W6. The discussion centers on the importance of the family context in Mexican children’s Spanish language skills over time.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

3-18-2021