The role of acculturation in the substance abuse behavior of African-American and Latino adolescents: Advances, issues, and recommendations

This article provides a review of the literature on the acculturation of La tino and African-American adolescents to traditional European-American cult ural values, and the effect on their substance abusing behaviors. The revie w includes a critical analysis of studies that examine the effects of accul turation on the mental health and well-being of Latino adolescents. Recent findings documenting the association between acculturation and substance ab use among Latino adolescents are discussed. The article also examines the d earth of research on the role of acculturation in the substance-abusing beh aviors of African-American adolescents. The authors assert that understandi ng the effects of acculturation on these behaviors could begin to explain w hy African-American adolescent substance abuse rates have been historically lower than those of European-American and Latino adolescents. Also include d is an examination of research on the role of acculturation in treatment o utcomes of Latino and African-American adolescents.