Melissa Yvette Delgado
- Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Science
- Member of the Graduate Faculty
Contact
- (520) 621-5575
- McClelland Park, Rm. 235J
- Tucson, AZ 85721
- mydelgado@arizona.edu
Degrees
- Ph.D. Family and Human Development
- Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States
- Perceived Discrimination and the Adjustment of Mexican-Origin Youth: An Examination of the Moderating Roles of Cultural Orientations and Values
- M.S. Family and Human Development
- Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States
- Cultural Orientations, Educational Involvement and Educational Values as Facilitators of Academic Achievement for Mexican American Adolescents
- B.A. Psychology
- Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States
- B.S. Family and Human Development
- Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States
Work Experience
- The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2017 - Ongoing)
- Texas State University (2016 - 2017)
- Texas State University (2015 - 2017)
- Texas State University (2010 - 2016)
- Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona (2008 - 2010)
Interests
No activities entered.
Courses
2023-24 Courses
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Independent Study
HDFS 499 (Summer I 2024) -
Independent Study
HECL 499 (Summer I 2024) -
Honors Independent Study
HDFS 499H (Spring 2024) -
Topics in Method & Data Anlys
HDFS 606 (Spring 2024) -
Directed Research
HDFS 492 (Fall 2023) -
Family+Consumer Sciences
HDFS 696Z (Fall 2023) -
Independent Study
HDFS 499 (Fall 2023) -
Research
HDFS 900 (Fall 2023)
2022-23 Courses
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Dissertation
FSHD 920 (Spring 2023) -
Dissertation
FSHD 920 (Fall 2022) -
Family+Consumer Sciences
FSHD 696Z (Fall 2022) -
Tops Fam Std+Hum Dev
FSHD 607 (Fall 2022)
2021-22 Courses
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Dissertation
FSHD 920 (Spring 2022) -
Topics in Method & Data Anlys
FSHD 606 (Spring 2022) -
Independent Study
FSHD 699 (Fall 2021)
2020-21 Courses
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Independent Study
FSHD 699 (Spring 2021) -
Indpnd Study Comp Exam
FSHD 799A (Spring 2021) -
Infancy/Child Developmnt
FSHD 323 (Spring 2021) -
Preceptorship
FSHD 491 (Spring 2021) -
Theory Human Development
FSHD 567 (Spring 2021) -
Indpnd Study Comp Exam
FSHD 799A (Fall 2020) -
Research
FSHD 900 (Fall 2020)
2019-20 Courses
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Directed Research
FSHD 492 (Spring 2020) -
Infancy/Child Developmnt
FSHD 323 (Spring 2020) -
Research
FSHD 900 (Spring 2020) -
Topics in Method & Data Anlys
FSHD 606 (Spring 2020) -
Directed Research
FSHD 492 (Fall 2019) -
Research
FSHD 900 (Fall 2019)
2018-19 Courses
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Directed Research
FSHD 492 (Spring 2019) -
Independent Study
FSHD 499 (Spring 2019) -
Research
FSHD 900 (Spring 2019) -
Directed Research
FSHD 492 (Fall 2018) -
Independent Study
FSHD 499 (Fall 2018) -
Independent Study
FSHD 699 (Fall 2018) -
Research
FSHD 900 (Fall 2018) -
Rsrch Meth Fam+Hum Dev
FSHD 507A (Fall 2018) -
Theory Human Development
FSHD 567 (Fall 2018)
2017-18 Courses
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Tops Fam Std+Hum Dev
FSHD 607 (Spring 2018)
Scholarly Contributions
Chapters
- Delgado, M. Y., Nair, R. L., Zeiders, K. H., & Jones, S. (2019). Latino Adolescents’ Experiences with Ethnic Discrimination: Moderating Factors and Mediating Mechanisms (RC1). In Handbook of Children and Prejudice: Integrating Research, Practice, and Policy(pp 633-654).
Journals/Publications
- Parks, S. J., Zeiders, K. H., Yoo, H. C., & Delgado, M. Y. (2023). White adults' color-evasive racial attitudes and racism emotionality: Understanding patterns and correlates. Journal of counseling psychology, 70(6), 619-630.More infoThere is limited empirical work that examines how Whites psychologically maintain and make efforts to dismantle systemic racism. Prior work suggests that both color-evasive attitudes and aspects of racism emotionality predict Whites' behaviors and, to a lesser extent, their well-being as their racial position is challenged. Utilizing a sample of 897 White adults attending college ( = 22.98 years, = 5.95), the present study examined how color-evasive attitudes (i.e., blatant racial issues, racial privilege, and awareness of institutional discrimination), diversity attitudes (anti-Blackness attitudes, openness to diversity), and racism emotionality (i.e., white empathy, white guilt, and fear) co-occur together to meaningfully predict Whites' indicators of well-being (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, and life satisfaction). Latent profile analysis revealed four profiles that varied from more antiracist configurations (abandoning racism profiles, 71% of the sample) to more racist configurations (internalizing racism profiles, 29% of sample). White individuals within the antiracist configuration displayed the highest levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, and lowest levels of life satisfaction. While those in the internalizing racism configuration displayed statistically higher reports of satisfaction with life and lowest levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Findings suggest that understanding the combined experiences of color-evasive attitudes and racism emotionality for Whites are important avenues for increasing responsibility and taking accountability in dismantling racism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
- Coulter, K. K., Delgado, M. Y., Nair, R. L., Mcclelland, D. J., Thomas, R., Nuno, V. L., & Carvajal, S. C. (2022). Future Orientation and Latinx Adolescent Development: A Scoping Review. Adolescent Research Review.
- Thomas, R., Wheeler, L. A., Delgado, M. Y., Nair, R. L., & Coulter, K. M. (2022). Latinx adolescents' academic self-efficacy: Explaining longitudinal links between ethnic-racial identity and educational adjustment. Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology, 28(1), 29-38.More infoThis longitudinal study had three aims: (a) to examine whether ethnic-racial identity (ERI; i.e., public regard, private regard, and centrality) was associated with academic self-efficacy and changes in educational adjustment (i.e., educational values and academic performance) among Latinx adolescents over 3 years, (b) to investigate whether academic self-efficacy would operate as a promotive mechanism in links between domains of ERI and changes in educational adjustment, and (c) to explore within-group variability by gender on the relations between domains of ERI, academic self-efficacy, and educational adjustment.
- Zeiders, K. H., Delgado, M. Y., Thomas, R., Nair, R. L., Wheeler, L. A., & Perez-Brena, N. J. (2022). Examining the Associations Between Latinx Adolescents’ Coping and School Functioning. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 43(3), 027243162211042. doi:10.1177/02724316221104208
- Delgado, M. Y., Wheeler, L. A., Perez-Brena, N., & Nair, R. L. (2021). The associations of maternal/paternal modeling, self-efficacy, and ethnic fit on math/science achievement among Latinx students. Journal of adolescence, 92, 247-257.More infoThis paper examined individual, family, and peer roles in promoting Latinx youths' math and science performance. The role of maternal/paternal modeling in education was examined as shaping academic self-efficacy and, in turn, math/science grades among a population considered at risk of low academic achievement. Moreover, the study tested the moderating roles of class ethnic fit (i.e., feelings of fit based on having same-ethnic peers in class) and gender.
- Nair, R. L., Delgado, M. Y., Wheeler, L. A., & Thomas, R. (2021). Prospective links between acculturative stress and academic well-being among Latinx adolescents. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 73, 101254.
- Ettekal, A. V., Simpkins, S. D., Menjívar, C., & Delgado, M. Y. (2020). The complexities of culturally responsive organized activities: Latino parents’ and adolescents’ perspectives. Journal of Adolescent Research, 35(3), 395-426. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558419864022
- Wheeler, L. A., Arora, P. G., & Delgado, M. Y. (2020). The Distal Role of Adolescents' Awareness of and Perceived Discrimination on Young Adults' Socioeconomic Attainment among Mexican-Origin Immigrant Families. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49(12), 2441-2458.More infoCultural-ecological frameworks posit that there are harmful effects of social stratification on developmental outcomes. In particular, awareness of aspects of social stratification in society and interpersonal experiences of discrimination, more generally and within specific contexts, may differentially influence outcomes across life stages; yet, few studies have examined the distal effects during adolescence on early adult developmental outcomes. The current study fills this gap by examining distal mechanisms linking adolescents' (Time 1: ages 13-15) awareness of and perceived general and school discrimination to young adults' (Time 3: ages 23-25) socioeconomic attainment (i.e., educational attainment, occupational prestige, earned income) through adolescents' (Time 2: ages 16-18) academic adjustment (i.e., grades and educational expectations). The study also examined variation by adaptive culture (i.e., English and Spanish language use behavior, familism values) and youth gender. Data are from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (N = 755 Mexican-origin adolescents and their foreign-born parents; 51.5% male adolescents; Time 1 M age = 14.20 years). The results revealed that adolescent's awareness of societal discrimination (Time 1) related to adolescents' higher grades (Time 2), which, in turn, related to higher educational attainment and occupational prestige in early adulthood (Time 3). For young women, but not men, sources of perceived discrimination within the school context during adolescence related to lower educational attainment. Additional variation by adaptive culture and gender was also found. Implications discussed are related to positive development among Mexican-origin youth in immigrant families.
- Ettekal, A. V., Simpkins, S. D., Menjivar, C., & Delgado, M. Y. (2019). The Complexities of Culturally Responsive Organized Activities: Latino Parents' and Adolescents' Perspectives (RC1). JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT RESEARCH.
- Updegraff, K. A., Umana-taylor, A. J., Nair, R. L., & Delgado, M. Y. (2019). Discrimination, Parent-Adolescent Conflict, and Peer Intimacy: Examining Risk and Resilience in Mexican-Origin Youths' Adjustment Trajectories.. Child development, 90(3), 894-910. doi:10.1111/cdev.12969More infoPeer discrimination and parent-adolescent conflict in early adolescence were examined as predictors of depressive symptoms and risky behaviors from early to late adolescence using four waves of data over an 8-year period from a sample of 246 Mexican-origin adolescents (MTime 1 age = 12.55, SD = 0.58; 51% female). The buffering effect of friendship intimacy and moderating role of adolescent gender were tested. Higher levels of discrimination and conflict in early adolescence were associated with higher initial levels of depressive symptoms and risky behaviors in early adolescence and stability through late adolescence. For females who reported higher than average discrimination, friendship intimacy had a protective effect on their depressive symptoms.
- Wheeler, L. A., Popp, T. K., & Delgado, M. Y. (2019). Mexican-Origin Parents' Stress and Satisfaction: The Role of Emotional Support.. Family process, 58(1), 146-164. doi:10.1111/famp.12342More infoGuided by a process model of parenting and the integrative model, this study examined sources of emotional support (i.e., partner, maternal, paternal) as related to stress and satisfaction resulting from the parenting role in a sample of Mexican-origin young adult parents who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) during Wave IV. Participants were male and female parents (26-35 years of age; 59% female; N = 737) who had children and a partner. Results from structural equation modeling revealed support from mothers as salient; high levels of maternal support were associated with high levels of parenting satisfaction. Tests of indirect effects suggested that parenting satisfaction played an intervening role in the link between maternal support and parenting stress. The pattern of results held across levels of linguistic acculturation but varied by gender. Understanding the mechanisms that predict parenting stress and satisfaction within the Mexican-origin population may help in the identification of culturally sensitive intervention strategies.
- Popp, T. K., Delgado, M. Y., & Wheeler, L. A. (2018). Mexican-Origin Parents' Stress and Satisfaction: The Role of Emotional Support. Family process.More infoGuided by a process model of parenting and the integrative model, this study examined sources of emotional support (i.e., partner, maternal, paternal) as related to stress and satisfaction resulting from the parenting role in a sample of Mexican-origin young adult parents who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) during Wave IV. Participants were male and female parents (26-35 years of age; 59% female; N = 737) who had children and a partner. Results from structural equation modeling revealed support from mothers as salient; high levels of maternal support were associated with high levels of parenting satisfaction. Tests of indirect effects suggested that parenting satisfaction played an intervening role in the link between maternal support and parenting stress. The pattern of results held across levels of linguistic acculturation but varied by gender. Understanding the mechanisms that predict parenting stress and satisfaction within the Mexican-origin population may help in the identification of culturally sensitive intervention strategies.
- Delgado, M. Y., Nair, R. L., Updegraff, K. A., & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2017). Discrimination, Parent-Adolescent Conflict, and Peer Intimacy: Examining Risk and Resilience in Mexican-Origin Youths' Adjustment Trajectories. Child development.More infoPeer discrimination and parent-adolescent conflict in early adolescence were examined as predictors of depressive symptoms and risky behaviors from early to late adolescence using four waves of data over an 8-year period from a sample of 246 Mexican-origin adolescents (MTime 1 age = 12.55, SD = 0.58; 51% female). The buffering effect of friendship intimacy and moderating role of adolescent gender were tested. Higher levels of discrimination and conflict in early adolescence were associated with higher initial levels of depressive symptoms and risky behaviors in early adolescence and stability through late adolescence. For females who reported higher than average discrimination, friendship intimacy had a protective effect on their depressive symptoms.
- Killoren, S. E., Streit, C., Alfaro, E. C., Delgado, M. Y., & Johnson, N. (2017). Mexican American College Students' Perceptions of Youth Success. JOURNAL OF LATINA-O PSYCHOLOGY, 5(2), 88-102.
- Lockhart, G., Phillips, S., Bolland, A., Delgado, M., Tietjen, J., & Bolland, J. (2017). Prospective Relations among Low-Income African American Adolescents' Maternal Attachment Security, Self-Worth, and Risk Behaviors. FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY, 8.
- Lockhart, G., Phillips, S., Bolland, A., Delgado, M., Tietjen, J., & Bolland, J. (2017). Prospective Relations among Low-Income African American Adolescents' Maternal Attachment Security, Self-Worth, and Risk Behaviors. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 33.More infoThis study examined prospective mediating relations among mother-adolescent attachment security, self-worth, and risk behaviors, including substance use and violence, across ages 13-17 in a sample of 901 low-income African American adolescents. Path analyses revealed that self-worth was a significant mediator between attachment security and risk behaviors, such that earlier attachment security predicted self-worth 1 year later, which in turn, predicted substance use, weapon carrying, and fighting in the 3rd year. Implications for the role of the secure base concept within the context of urban poverty are discussed.
- Perez-Brena, N. J., Delgado, M. Y., De, J., Updegraff, K. A., & Umana-Taylor, A. J. (2017). Mexican-origin adolescents' educational expectation trajectories: Intersection of nativity, sex, and socioeconomic status. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, 48, 14-24.
- Perez-Brena, N. J., Delgado, M. Y., Rodríguez De Jesús, S. A., Updegraff, K. A., & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2017). Mexican-origin Adolescents' Educational Expectation Trajectories: Intersection of Nativity, Sex, and Socioeconomic Status. Journal of applied developmental psychology, 48, 14-24.More infoExpectancy value theory and a cultural-ecological framework are integrated in this study to examine the trajectories of 246 Mexican-origin adolescents' (M = 12.52, SD = 0.58; 51% girls, 62% U.S.-born) educational expectations across eight years. Findings from a multilevel growth model revealed that early adolescents expected to complete a post-bachelor's degree, but expectations declined in middle adolescence and improved in late adolescence. This pattern was more pronounced for immigrant, compared to U.S-born, adolescents. Higher socioeconomic status was associated with higher expectations. Boys and girls differed in their trajectories, such that boys showed a curvilinear trajectory and girls showed a stable trajectory. Nativity moderated these sex differences. Immigrant boys showed curvilinear trajectories that dipped in middle adolescence and immigrant girls showed a declining trajectory. In contrast, U.S.-born boys and girls showed linear and stable trajectories. The discussion addresses suggestions for targeted interventions with at-risk subgroups during a sensitive period in adolescence.
- Delgado, M. Y., Ettekal, A. V., Simpkins, S. D., & Schaefer, D. R. (2016). How Do My Friends Matter? Examining Latino Adolescents' Friendships, School Belonging, and Academic Achievement. Journal of youth and adolescence, 45(6), 1110-25.More infoAre Latino adolescents' friendships an untapped resource for academic achievement or perhaps one of the reasons why these youth struggle academically? Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 6782; 7th through 12th graders; 52.9 % female), we examined whether the process of Latino students' school belonging mediated the relationships between the context of friendships (i.e., friendship network indicators) and their academic outcomes (i.e., a context-process-outcomes model), and tested whether the process-context link varied by friends' characteristics (i.e., GPA and problem behavior; social capital). Moreover, we tested whether all relationships varied across the four largest Latino subgroups in the U.S. (i.e., Mexican, Central/South American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban). Our findings indicate that being nominated as a friend by peers and perceiving to have friends exerted both direct effects on school belonging in all but one of the Latino ethnic samples (i.e., Puerto Rican samples) and indirect effects on academic achievement in the full Latino, Mexican, and Central/South American samples. As such, school belonging was more likely to explain the links between academic achievement with nominations by peers as a friend and perceived friends than with having close-knit friendship groups. However, having a close-knit group of average or low-achieving friends predicted more school belonging for Mexican youth, but less school belonging for Cubans. Our findings suggest that friendships may be particularly beneficial for the school belonging process of highly marginalized groups in the U.S. (i.e., Mexican-origin).
- Guarraci, F. A., Holifield, C., Morales-Valenzuela, J., Greene, K., Brown, J., Lopez, R., Crandall, C., Gibbs, N., Vela, R., Delgado, M. Y., & Frohardt, R. J. (2016). Exposure to methylphenidate during peri-adolescence affects endocrine functioning and sexual behavior in female Long-Evans rats. PHARMACOLOGY BIOCHEMISTRY AND BEHAVIOR, 142, 36-41.
- Guarraci, F. A., Holifield, C., Morales-Valenzuela, J., Greene, K., Brown, J., Lopez, R., Crandall, C., Gibbs, N., Vela, R., Delgado, M. Y., & Frohardt, R. J. (2016). Exposure to methylphenidate during peri-adolescence affects endocrine functioning and sexual behavior in female Long-Evans rats. Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior, 142, 36-41.More infoThe present study was designed to test the effects of methylphenidate (MPH) exposure on the maturation of endocrine functioning and sexual behavior. Female rat pups received either MPH (2.0mg/kg, i.p.) or saline twice daily between postnatal days 20-35. This period of exposure represents the time just prior to puberty as well as puberty onset. Approximately five weeks after the last injection of MPH or saline, female subjects were hormone-primed and tested during their first sexual experience. Subjects were given the choice to interact with a sexually active male or a sexually receptive female rat (i.e., the partner-preference test). The partner-preference paradigm allows us to assess multiple aspects of female sexual behavior. MPH exposure during peri-adolescence delayed puberty and, when mated for the first time, affected sexual behavior (e.g., increased time spent with the male stimulus and decreased the likelihood of leaving after mounts) during the test of partner preference. When monitoring estrous cyclicity, female subjects treated with MPH during peri-adolescence frequently experienced irregular estrous cycles. The results of the present study suggest that chronic exposure to a therapeutic dose of MPH around the onset of puberty alters long-term endocrine functioning, but with hormone priming, increases sensitivity to sexual stimuli.
- Delgado, M. Y., Killoren, S. E., & Updegraff, K. A. (2013). Economic Hardship and Mexican-Origin Adolescents' Adjustment: Examining Adolescents' Perceptions of Hardship and Parent-Adolescent Relationship Quality. JOURNAL OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY, 27(5), 827-837.
- Delgado, M. Y., Killoren, S. E., & Updegraff, K. A. (2013). Economic hardship and Mexican-origin adolescents' adjustment: examining adolescents' perceptions of hardship and parent-adolescent relationship quality. Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43), 27(5), 827-37.More infoStudies examining economic hardship consistently have linked family economic hardship to adolescent adjustment via parent and family functioning, but limited attention has been given to adolescents' perceptions of these processes. To address this, the authors investigated the intervening effects of adolescents' perceptions of economic hardship and of parent-adolescent warmth and conflict on the associations between parental economic hardship and adolescent adjustment (i.e., depressive symptoms, risky behaviors, and school performance) in a sample of 246 Mexican-origin families. Findings revealed that both mothers' and fathers' reports of economic hardship were positively related to adolescents' reports of economic hardship, which in turn, were negatively related to parent-adolescent warmth and positively related to parent-adolescent conflict with both mothers and fathers. Adolescents' perceptions of economic hardship were indirectly related to (a) depressive symptoms through warmth with mothers and conflict with mothers and fathers, (b) involvement in risky behaviors through conflict with mothers and fathers, and (c) GPA through conflict with fathers. Our findings highlight the importance of adolescents' perceptions of family economic hardship and relationships with mothers and fathers in predicting adolescent adjustment.
- Simpkins, S. D., Delgado, M. Y., Price, C. D., Quach, A., & Starbuck, E. (2013). Socioeconomic Status, Ethnicity, Culture, and Immigration: Examining the Potential Mechanisms Underlying Mexican-Origin Adolescents' Organized Activity Participation. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, 49(4), 706-721.
- Simpkins, S. D., Delgado, M. Y., Price, C. D., Quach, A., & Starbuck, E. (2013). Socioeconomic status, ethnicity, culture, and immigration: examining the potential mechanisms underlying Mexican-origin adolescents' organized activity participation. Developmental psychology, 49(4), 706-21.More infoThe integrative model for child development and ecodevelopmental theory suggest that macro factors, such as socioeconomic status, ethnicity, culture, and immigration influence the settings in which adolescents engage. The goal of this investigation was to use a combination of deductive and inductive qualitative analysis to describe the mechanisms by which these macro factors might be related to Mexican-origin adolescents' participation in organized after-school activities. Qualitative data were collected through focus group interviews with 44 adolescents, 50 parents, and 18 activity leaders from 2 neighborhoods that varied in ethnic composition and average family income. Results indicated that family socioeconomic status might be related to adolescents' participation through financial resources and parents' work. Ethnicity was identified as a predictor of participation via experiences with ethnic discrimination, particularly in the neighborhood with a low percentage of Hispanic families. Cultural values and practices were related to participants' preferences for particular activities (e.g., bilingual, church-sponsored) and adolescents' participation in activities. Immigration seemed to be a factor in parents' familiarity with and beliefs about organized activities.
- Simpkins, S. D., Vest, A. E., Delgado, M. Y., & Price, C. D. (2012). Do School Friends Participate in Similar Extracurricular Activities?: Examining the Moderating Role of Race/Ethnicity and Age. JOURNAL OF LEISURE RESEARCH, 44(3), 332-352.
- Delgado, M. Y., Updegraff, K. A., Roosa, M. W., & Umana-Taylor, A. J. (2011). Discrimination and Mexican-Origin Adolescents' Adjustment: The Moderating Roles of Adolescents', Mothers', and Fathers' Cultural Orientations and Values. JOURNAL OF YOUTH AND ADOLESCENCE, 40(2), 125-139.
- Delgado, M. Y., Updegraff, K. A., Roosa, M. W., & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2011). Discrimination and Mexican-origin adolescents' adjustment: the moderating roles of adolescents', mothers', and fathers' cultural orientations and values. Journal of youth and adolescence, 40(2), 125-39.More infoDrawing on García Coll et al.'s integrative framework and the risk and resilience model, this study examined the relationships between adolescents' perceived discrimination and psychosocial adjustment and the moderating roles of adolescents', mothers', and fathers' cultural orientations and values, and adolescent gender in a sample of 246 Mexican-origin families. Using multilevel modeling with data from mothers, fathers, seventh graders (M (age) = 12.8 years; SD = .57 year) and older siblings (M (age) = 15.7 years; SD = 1.5 years), findings revealed that perceived discrimination was positively related to depression, risky behaviors, and deviant peer affiliations. In addition, parents' cultural orientations and values and adolescent gender moderated the relationships between perceived discrimination and some indicators of adjustment. These findings suggest that parents' cultural orientations and values can serve as protective and vulnerability factors in the associations between Mexican-origin adolescents' perceived discrimination and their psychosocial adjustment.
- Simpkins, S. D., O'Donnell, M., Delgado, M. Y., & Becnel, J. N. (2011). Latino Adolescents' Participation in Extracurricular Activities: How Important Are Family Resources and Cultural Orientation?. APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, 15(1), 37-50.
- Updegraff, K. A., Delgado, M. Y., & Wheeler, L. A. (2009). Exploring Mothers' and Fathers' Relationships with Sons Versus Daughters: Links to Adolescent Adjustment in Mexican Immigrant Families. Sex roles, 60(7-8), 559-574.More infoDrawing on ecological and gender socialization perspectives, this study examined mothers' and fathers' relationships with young adolescents, exploring differences between mothers and fathers, for sons versus daughters, and as a function of parents' division of paid labor. Mexican immigrant families (N = 162) participated in home interviews and seven nightly phone calls. Findings revealed that mothers reported higher levels of acceptance toward adolescents and greater knowledge of adolescents' daily activities than did fathers, and mothers spent more time with daughters than with sons. Linkages between parent-adolescent relationship qualities and youth adjustment were moderated by adolescent gender and parents' division of paid labor. Findings revealed, for example, stronger associations between parent-adolescent relationship qualities and youth adjustment for girls than for boys.
- Thayer, S. M., Updegraff, K. A., & Delgado, M. Y. (2008). Conflict Resolution in Mexican American Adolescents' Friendships: Links with Culture, Gender and Friendship Quality. Journal of youth and adolescence, 37(7), 783-797.More infoThis study was designed to describe the conflict resolution practices used in Mexican American adolescents' friendships, to explore the role of cultural orientations and values and gender-typed personality qualities in conflict resolution use, and to assess the connections between conflict resolution and friendship quality. Participants were 246 Mexican American adolescents (M = 12.77 years of age) and their older siblings (M = 15.70 years of age). Results indicated that adolescents used solution-oriented strategies most frequently, followed by nonconfrontation and control strategies. Girls were more likely than boys to use solution-oriented strategies and less likely to use control strategies. Familistic values and gender-typed personality qualities were associated with solution-oriented conflict resolution strategies. Finally, conflict resolution strategies were related to overall friendship quality: solution-oriented strategies were positively linked to intimacy and negatively associated with friendship negativity, whereas nonconfrontation and control strategies were associated with greater relationship negativity.
- Crouter, A. C., Davis, K. D., Updegraff, K., Delgado, M., & Fortner, M. (2006). Mexican American Fathers' Occupational Conditions: Links to Family Members' Psychological Adjustment. Journal of marriage and the family, 68(4), 843-858.More infoTo examine the implications of fathers' occupational conditions (i.e., income, work hours, shift work, pressure, workplace racism, and underemployment) for family members' psychological adjustment, home interviews were conducted with fathers, mothers, and two adolescent offspring in each of 218 Mexican American families. Results underscored the importance of acculturation as a moderator. Fathers' income was negatively associated with depressive symptoms in highly acculturated families but not in less acculturated families. In contrast, fathers' reports of workplace racism were positively associated with depressive symptoms in less acculturated families but not in more acculturated family contexts. These findings were consistent across all 4 family members, suggesting that the "long arm" of the jobs held by Mexican American fathers extends to mothers and adolescent offspring.
- Updegraff, K. A., McHale, S. M., Whiteman, S. D., Thayer, S. M., & Delgado, M. Y. (2005). Adolescent sibling relationships in Mexican American families: exploring the role of familism. Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43), 19(4), 512-22.More infoTo address a significant gap in the literature on normative processes in minority families, the authors studied adolescents' sibling relationships in two-parent Mexican American families and explored connections between sibling relationship characteristics and familism. Participants were 246 adolescent Mexican American sibling pairs who participated in (a) home interviews during which adolescents described their sibling relationships and familism values and (b) a series of 7 nightly phone calls during which adolescents reported their daily activities, including time spent with siblings and family members. Siblings described their relationships as both intimate and conflictual, and daily activity data revealed that they spent an average of 17.2 hr per 7 days in shared activities. Sibling relationship qualities were linked to familism values and practices, and stronger patterns of association emerged for sisters than brothers. Discussion highlights the significance of studying the processes that underlie within-group variations among families of different cultural backgrounds.
Presentations
- Coulter, K., Walker, K., Thomas, R., Delgado, M. Y., & Nair, R. (2021). Examining Links Between Latinx Youth’s Positive Youth Development and Educational Outcomes. Society of Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting.
- Thomas, R., Delgado, M. Y., & Nair, R. (2021). The Role of School Belonging in the Association Between Acculturative Stress and School Functioning. Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting.
- Nair, R., Delgado, M. Y., Thomas, R., & Coulter, K. (2020, Fall). Socio-Cultural School Climate: Definitions, Measurement and Implications. National Council on Family Relations.
- Perez-Brena, N., Thomas, R., Delgado, M. Y., & Nair, R. L. (2019, Fall). Examining the Effects of Latina/o Parents’ Academic Socialization on Adolescents’ Math and Science Identity, Self-Efficacy, and Adjustment (RC2). National Council on Family Relations. Fort Worth, Texas.
- Toomey, R. B., Delgado, M. Y., Cruze, A., Parks, S. J., Yoo, H. C., & Zeiders, K. H. (2019, April). Color-blind racial attitudes and psychosocial costs of racism to White young adults (RC2). Biennial Meeting Society for Research in Child Development. Baltimore, MD: Society for Research in Child Development.More infoRC2
- Delgado, M. Y., Wheeler, L., Nair, R., & Perez-Brena, N. (2018, September). Latina/o Adolescents’ Academic Self-Efficacy and Math/Science Performance: Examining the Indirect Effects of Mother/Father Modeling. European Association for Research on Adolescence. Ghent, Belgium.
- Nair, R., Delgado, M. Y., & Wheeler, L. (2018, April). Acculturative stress and academic well-being among Latino youth: Evaluating the impact of coping and social support processes. Society for Research on Adolescence. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Thomas, R., Delgado, M. Y., Nair, R., Wheeler, L., & Perez-Brena, N. (2018, October). Latino adolescents’ coping as a mediator between their acculturative stress and school belonging. National Latina/o Psychological Association. San Diego, California.
- Wheeler, L., Arora, P., & Delgado, M. Y. (2018, November). Longitudinal links between discrimination and socioeconomic adjustment in Mexican-origin youth. National Council on Family Relations. San Diego, California.
Poster Presentations
- Solorio, D., Khurana, S., Coulter, K., Nair, R., & Delgado, M. Y. (2021). Acculturative Family Distancing, Depressive Symptoms, and Risky Behavior Moderated by Biculturalism Among Latinx Youth. Society of Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting.
- Coulter, K., Cruze, A., Thomas, R., Carbajal, S., Delgado, M. Y., & Zeiders, K. (2019, Spring). Multiple Contextual Identities of Latino Adolescents: Examining Ethnic and STEM Identities (RC2). Society for Research in Child Development. Baltimore, Maryland.
- Thomas, R., Cruze, A., Coulter, K., Ruedas, M., Curiel, A., Rivero, A., Valli-Doherty, M., Peebles, D., Delgado, M. Y., & Nair, R. L. (2019, Spring). Examining Latino Adolescents’ Gender and STEM Identities in Relation to STEM Commitment and Grades (RC2). Society for Research in Child Development. Baltimore, Maryland.
- Zeiders, K. H., Nair, R., Delgado, M. Y., Carbajal, S., Thomas, R., & Coulter, K. (2019, March). Multiple contextual identities of Latinx adolescents: Examining ethnic and STEM identities (RC2). Society for Research on Child Development..
- Cruze, A., Thomas, R., Rascon-Canales, M., Boyd, S., & Delgado, M. Y. (2018, October). Latino middle school students’ identity and school belonging: Findings for future math careers. National Latina/o Psychological Association. San Diego, California.
- Nair, R., Delgado, M. Y., & Kornienko, O. (2018, April). Adolescent and peer social identities and academic outcomes among Latino youth: The role of concordance in peer relations. Society for Research on Adolescence,. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Wheeler, L., Delgado, M. Y., & Nair, R. (2018, November). Mechanisms linking sociocultural factors and Latino adolescent adjustment. National Council on Family Relations. San Diego, California.
Others
- Delgado, M. Y., & Wheeler, L. (2018, March). Latino adolescents’ academic qualities and sources of academic socialization in eighth grade and one year later. Greater Texas Foundation.More infoWhite Paper for the Greater Texas Foundation.