Examining Familism and Ethnic Identity As Moderators of Associations between Ethnic Discrimination, Acculturative Stress, and Sex Risk Behaviors Among Latinx Emerging Adults

Background and Purpose:

Sexual risk behaviors (i.e., multiple sex partners, alcohol or drug use before sex, and condomless sex) remain significant public health concerns in the United States, and Latinx emerging adults are at disproportionate risk. Relatively little is known about the role of ethnic discrimination and acculturative stress on sexual risk behaviors among Latinx emerging adults. Even less is known about the potential moderating effects of familism and ethnic identity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the associations between ethnic discrimination and acculturative stress on sexual risk behaviors, and whether and to what extent these effects vary as a function of familism and ethnic identity among Latinx emerging adults.

Methods:

Data are from a cross-sectional study comprised of 158 sexually active Latinx emerging adults. Participants were recruited from Arizona and Florida, and were 48.7% male (n=77) and 51.3% female (n=81) with an average age of 21.48 (SD=2.06, range=18-25). Participants completed measures to assess ethnic discrimination, acculturative stress, familism, multigroup ethnic identity (MEIM), and sexual behaviors. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to produce odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (95% CI). Models adjusted for age, gender, Latinx heritage, sexual minority status, skin color, nativity status, familism, and MEIM. Additionally, we computed the moderation effects of familism and MEIM.

Results:

The findings suggest that participants who report higher ethnic discrimination levels (OR=0.402, 95% CI: 0.232, 0.668) and pressure to acculturate (OR=0.550, 95% CI: 0.338, 0.868) relative to those with lower levels, reported fewer sex partners. Furthermore, participants who reported higher levels of pressure against acculturation were more likely to report condomless sex with a casual partner (OR=1.834, 95% CI: 1.196, 2.887) relative to those who reported lower levels. The moderation effect of higher familism scores on pressure to acculturate was associated with fewer sex partners (OR=0.644, 95% CI: 0.339, 0.896). The moderation effect of higher MEIM scores on pressure against acculturation was also associated with decreased condomless sex with casual partners (OR=0.532, 95% CI: 0.284, 0.909).

Conclusion and Implications:

The findings indicate that higher levels of ethnic discrimination and pressure to acculturate reduce the number of sex partners, while pressure against acculturation increases the likelihood of condomless sex with a casual partner. Familism and ethnic identity play a protective role for those who report higher levels of acculturative stress, by reducing the number of sex partners and condomless sex with a casual partner. Results implicate the important protective role of familism and ethnic identity in the design and development of both measures and interventions to address sex risk behaviors among this population. Such culturally informed interventions not only center sustainable, community-based solutions to social change, but also provide researchers, practitioners and policymakers with evidence to support effective approaches that advance racial equity and social justice in sexual risk prevention and health promotion with Latinx emerging adults—one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States.