Neighborhood Context and Latino Youth

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In the last two decades, immigrants, and particularly Latino immigrant groups such as Mexicans, have begun to fan out across the country, initiating new immigrant-receiving areas at the same time that older ones are being altered by increased immigrant suburbanization. These geographic shifts underscore the need for a more complete understanding of the role of social context in helping or hindering immigrants and their children. The effect of social environment on immigrant adjustment is most pressing among Latino immigrant youth and their native-born counterparts, who have quickly become the largest minority youth group in the U.S. and are characterized by overwhelmingly negative profiles, including low levels of high school completion, high rates of teen pregnancy, and high levels of gang activity. This proposal will address the following questions using the case of L.A. County: 1) what are the patterns of risky behavior among Latino youth and do they vary by generational status? 2) Does residential location influence the propensity for Latino youth to engage in risky behavior? 3) What are the collective social processes that make for a (un)healthy neighborhood environment for Latino adolescents? To meet these aims, we will use data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (L.A.FANS). Multilevel models will be used that are specifically designed to allow for the simultaneous examination of group-level and individual-level variables on individual-level outcomes. As Latinos immigrants and their children spread out across the U.S., the ways in which particular residential contexts influence Latino adolescent development will be increasingly significant for communities across the country.