ACCULTURATION AND FAMILY COHESIVENESS IN MEXICAN-AMERICAN PREGNANT-WOMEN - SOCIAL AND HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

This article describes a classification system based on acculturation status and family cohesiveness and examines the extent to which these variables may determine the degree of exposure to high acculturative s tress, social isolation, and health-related risk behaviors among Mexic an American pregnant women. Empirical data from the Arizona Perinatal Acculturation Project was used to test the presence of an acculturatio n effect, a family cohesiveness effect, and a traditionalism effect, o n a series of dependent variables including: socioeconomic status, acc ulturative stress, coping strategies, social support, and pregnancy ri sk factors. The results obtained from the postulated contrasts yielded several patterns of interest from the variables studied. A typology d erived from the classification system was developed to illustrate comm on characteristics and demographic patterns within each of the four ca tegories. Characteristics that are associated with these subgroups sug gest how the health care system might respond appropriately to meet th e health needs of subgroups of Mexican American women.