Adolescent relationship violence and acculturation among NYC Latinos

Prevalence and Variations of Sexual Violence Victimization Among US-Based Latino Adults and Adolescents: A Systematic Literature Review

Sexual violence victimization (SVV) is a significant public health concern. SVV research often focuses on college-attending White women's experiences, resulting in a knowledge gap regarding the experiences of ethnic minority groups, including the Latino community - the largest minority group in the US. To develop more culturally sensitive SV prevention efforts, the current study reviewed research focused on the prevalence rates of SVV among Latino people. The authors searched for published articles in PubMed, PsycINFO, and the reference sections of relevant articles published from 2011 to 2022. Articles were deemed eligible if they presented SVV prevalence rates for Latino participants; 39 articles were included in the review. The most frequently assessed aspect of SVV among Latino people was whether they had ever been victimized. The average prevalence rate across articles was 16.0%. Additionally, researchers examined the prevalence rates of unwanted touching, sexual coercion, and completed rape among Latino individuals. Few articles examined SVV prevalence rates among sexual and gender minority Latinos; those that did found higher SVV rates among those groups. SVV is a prevalent issue within the Latino community, with women and sexual minorities facing an even greater risk. Moving forward, studying the contextual factors of SVV among Latino people and developing culturally sensitive interventions tailored to this population are needed.

Cultural Correlates of Dating Violence in a Combined Gender Group of Latino College Students

Prevalence rates of dating violence (DV) on college campuses are high. The documented effects of DV suggest substantial challenges across all domains of functioning; yet, DV is preventable. The research on risk and preventive factors for Latino college students is limited. This study used the social-ecological model to examine factors associated with DV at the individual, relationship, and societal levels. More specifically, we utilized structural equation modeling to build an acceptable model of physical and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences for Latino participants based on variables of gender role beliefs, acculturation, attitudes toward violence, and surveillance behavior, while considering development issues. We describe the practice and prevention implications of the study findings. Overall, the model showed excellent model fit (χ2[40] = 52.06, p < .09, root mean square error of approximation = 0.025, comparative fit index = 0.99, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.98, and a coefficient of determination of 0.04), and several proposed pathways were found to be significant, exhibiting the utility of this model in understanding Latino Dating violence. Maternal education was found to be significantly negatively associated with Mexican orientation (β = -.13, p = .02) and indirectly associated with both DV attitudes and surveillance through Mexican orientation, suggesting protective effects for lower maternal education and higher Mexican orientation. Machismo (β = .18, p = .002) and caballerismo (β = .26, p < .001) were both related to IPV attitudes. Machismo also directly increased the risk of surveillance (β = .21, p < .001) and indirectly increased the risk of physical and psychological victimization through surveillance behavior. Mexican orientation predicted less endorsement of DV attitudes (β = -.16, p < .001) and less surveillance (β = -.09, p = .04). Victimization was predicted by caballerismo (β = -.19, p < .001) and surveillance (β = .33, p < .001).

Patterns of Violence Victimization and Disclosure Among Transgender/Gender Nonconforming and Cisgender Latinx College Students

Although research on sexual violence experiences of minoritized college students has increased in recent years, little is known about the experiences of Latinx students. Even less knowledge is available on whether such violence and disclosure experiences vary by gender identity. The present study addressed this gap by exploring the rates of sexual violence and disclosure patterns after experiences of sexual violence among Latinx college students. Using data from the 2019-2020 Healthy Minds Study, a national sample of Latinx college students was analyzed (n = 6,690). Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and one-way analyses of variance were conducted to explore differences in gender identity, sexual violence victimization, and disclosure type. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the association between (1) gender identity and sexual violence victimization and (2) gender identity and sexual violence disclosure while controlling for various sociodemographic measures. Results indicated sexual violence victimization occurred at significantly higher rates among transgender/gender nonconforming and cisgender women Latinx students, compared to cisgender men. Transgender/gender nonconforming students who experienced sexual violence were significantly less likely to make any disclosure of sexual violence when compared to cisgender men. These findings highlight the extent to which experiences of sexual violence among Latinx students differ based on their gender identity. It also brings attention to the need for campus programming to attend to students who often face structural barriers because of their intersecting identities, specifically transgender/gender nonconforming Latinx students.

A Pilot Study of a Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program With Karen Refugees

While teen dating violence (TDV) prevention programs generally report changes in participants' attitudes and mixed findings about changes in behavior, little is known about the impact of TDV programs on ethnic minority youth. This study examined the effectiveness of Safe Dates, an evidence-based TDV prevention program, in educating 21 resettled Karen refugee youth from Burma. Findings indicated changes in attitudes toward violence occurred from pretest to follow-up. Years living in the United States was significantly related to pretest and posttest attitudes. More research about TDV is needed among Karen youth with attention given to the role of acculturation on TDV attitudes.

Longitudinal Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Victimization in Latino Emerging Adults

Despite the prevalence of intimate partner violence in emerging adulthood, literature focused on this life stage among Latinos remains limited. This longitudinal study examined acculturation; traditional gender role attitudes; use of alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco; and depressive symptoms in 10th grade as predictors of intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization among Latino emerging adults (N = 823; 58% female). Average age of participants was 15.5 years in 10th grade and 22.7 years in emerging adulthood. The results indicate important gender differences in intimate partner violence outcomes for Latino emerging adults. Higher U.S. acculturation predicted physical intimate partner violence perpetration among young men. More traditional gender role attitudes were significantly associated with psychological and physical intimate partner violence perpetration among male Latino emerging adults. Among Latinas, alcohol use in 10th grade predicted psychological perpetration and victimization in emerging adulthood. The findings have implications for developing gender- and ethnic-relevant prevention interventions focused on intimate partner violence among Latino adolescents and emerging adults.