Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences

The purpose of this study was to assess attitudes toward the United States andAmericans, toward Mexico and Mexicans, and knowledge about Proposition 187 in Mexican women married to documented and undocumented immigrant workers in California. The data presented here correspond to the baseline of a longitudinal study currently in process. Participants were a sample of 24 women living permanently in this community and married to documented (n = 11) and undocumented (n = 13) temporary immigrants, who at the time of data collection were all working in the United States. Results indicate more favorable attitudes toward Mexico and Mexicans than toward the United States and Americans. Respondents acknowledged the opportunities that the United States provides for their husbands, but they also placed high value on the traditions, customs, and morals of the Mexican culture.

This article reports the development ofa bidimensional acculturation scaleforHispanics (BAS). The scale provides an acculturation score for two major cultural dimensions (Hispanic and non-Hispanic domains) by including 12 items (per cultural domain) that measure three language-related areas. A random sample of 254 adult Hispanics was surveyed to develop and validate the scale. The scores obtained with the BAS show high internal consistency and high validity coefficients. The scale works well with Mexican Americans and with Central Americans.

Professional psychologists who serve Hispanic populations do not routinely use acculturation instruments. Recommendations for use of five adequately conceptualized and validated acculturation measures are presented. Cultural identity information facilitates selection of standard psychological tests or culture-specific instruments. Such information also informs clinical diagnosis, personality description, therapeutic assessment, and psychotherapy. Some issues germane to underutilization of acculturation measures in assessment practice and ethical considerations are discussed.

This study examined whether the addition of college variables to a model consisting only ofprecollege variables would improve the prediction of the academic success of Mexican American and White college students. Participants were 225 Mexican American and 83 White first-year college students. A multiple regression analysis, which controlled for differences in high school academic background, indicated that three college variables (academic self-concept, education major, and social science major) were significantly related to grade point average for Mexican Americans. A logistic regression analysis, which also controlled for high school academic record, indicated that three majors (education, social sciences, and natural sciences) were significantly related to academic progressfor Mexican Americans. Overall, the collegefactors significantly enhanced the prediction of academic success for Mexican Americans but not for Whites. Results are discussed in terms of providing appropriate academic programs and support services for Mexican American students.

This study examinedfactors related to attitudes aboutgender-role equality in 50Mexican American married mothers and 33 Mexican American married fathers. Each parent completed the Attitudes Toward Gender Scale (a modified version of the Attitudes Toward Women Scale) and other attitude questionnaires. Mothers with communal values who were born in the United States, with higher levels of education, and who placed less value on competition were significantly more likely to have gender-egalitarian attitudes. Fathers who had higher levels of education and who placed less value on competition were significantly more likely to have gender-egalitarian attitudes. The results suggest that Mexican American parents tend to endorse egalitarian gender attitudes as they become more acculturated. Other factors such as language spoken, religion, income, and maternal employment did not significantly account for independent amounts of variance for either mothers' orfathers'gender-egalitarian attitudes.

This study examined the influence of perceptions of freedom in leisure on Mexican American adolescents' activity involvement. Subjects, 121 boys and 169 girls, ranged in age from 14 to 17 years and were drawn from a predominantly Mexican American population located in South Texas. Data were gathered through a self-report survey instrument consisting of a perceived freedom in leisure scale and an activity index. Results indicated a significant negative relationship between less perceived freedom to choose and participation as well as gender differences in perception of freedom from constraints to participating. Among boys, inability to satisfy intrinsic needs emerged as the strongest explanation of nonparticipation, whereas for girls lack of competence was.

The rate of HIV infection and AIDS cases among heterosexual Hispanics is increasing. Data from a national probability survey of HIV-related risk factors among 4,390 heterosexual Hispanics in the 1990-1991 National AIDS Behavioral Surveys reveal that 164% of respondents reported an HIV risk factor; of these, 35.3% had been tested for HIVl Multiple sex partners and risky main sexual partner were the major risk factors. Men and middle-income Hispanics reported a higher prevalence of HIV testing. Half of those at highest riskfor HIV infection had neither been tested for HlV antibody nor had used condoms to protect themselves. The results suggest that HIV infection poses a great threat, particularly among certain heterosexual Hispanic subgroups where condom use and HIV testing is relatively low, illustrating the extreme need for developing new HIV prevention strategies among specific Hispanic risk groups.

AIDS and condom-related knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors were assessed in Mexican migrant laborers. The sample consisted of 55 men and 32 women who were administered a modified version of the Hispanic Condom Questionnaire. Results indicated that respondents were knowledgeable about actual modes of HIVtransmission butthata third to half of the sample believed they could contract AIDS from unlikely sources such as mosquito bites, public bathrooms, and kissing on the mouth. Knowledge of proper condom use was problematic, and frequency of condom use during the past year was no higher than half of the time. Concern about contracting AIDS was generally low but was highestfor migrants that were younger andfor those with multiple sex partners. Although respondents reportedfew negative beliefs about the consequences of condom use, most believed that women would be seen as promiscuous for carrying condoms.

Health planners suspect there is a pattern of movement, dubbed the "air bridge," between Puerto Rico and the continental United States by persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are seeking health services. The authors tested this hypothesis in publicly supported HlVclinics in the Puerto Rican Southern Health Region (SHR). A survey was conducted of 187 patients who were at least 18 years of age, confirmed HIV positive, and not incarcerated. Only 7% of the respondents had been outside the SHR for 2 weeks or more in the past year. Intravenous drug users and men who have sex with men were 7 to 8 times more likely to have traveled than were heterosexual respondents. Fifty-seven percent of all movement was within Puerto Rico, and no one had traveled to the United States primarily to receive medical services. Thus the results of this study do not support the concept of an "air bridge. "