NINR-R01

The Intergenerational Transmission of Alcohol Use Among Latino Mothers and Daughters

CRUSADA houses a National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) R01 grant titled The Intergenerational Transmission of Alcohol Use Among Latino Mothers and Daughters (R01NR012150; PI: De La Rosa)

Synopsis: The objective of this study is to determine how the alcohol and illegal drug use (i.e., illicit drug use and non-medical use of prescription drugs) and HIV risk behavior trajectories of a community-based sample of Latina mothers and daughters are influenced by changes in familial (mother-daughter acoplamiento or attachment) and other socio-cultural determinants of substance abuse and HIV risk behaviors over time. Mother-daughter acoplamiento or attachment refers to the degree of mutual trust, quality of communication, and the extent of anger and alienation between mother and daughter (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987). Social determinants of substance abuse and HIV risk behaviors refers to multilevel and theory-based determinants of Latina substance abuse and HIV risk behaviors [e.g., acculturation, poor socioeconomic conditions, loss of interpersonal supports, less religious involvement, involvement with the criminal justice system, intimate partner violence, chronic stress, mental health, medical conditions]. Findings from this study can then be utilized to develop culturally relevant substance abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs that target Latinas across their adult life span.

This NINR-R01 has the following specific aims:

 

  • Aim 1. Determine the influence of social determinants on trajectories of change for substance use and HIV risk behaviors among a community-based sample of Latina mothers and daughters. The working hypothesis is that Latina mothers and daughters who experience (1) more acculturation to U.S. culture; (2) poorer socioeconomic conditions; (3) a loss of interpersonal supports; (4) less religious involvement; (5) involvement with the criminal justice system; (6) intimate partner violence; (7) greater employment, relationship, and/or residential related chronic stress; or (8) declining mental health and medical status since their baseline assessment, will exhibit either an increase in or maintenance of high rates of substance use and HIV risk behaviors over the 7 year time period.
  • Aim 2. Determine the influence of mother-daughter attachment on trajectories of change for substance use and HIV risk behaviors among a community-based sample of Latina mothers and daughters. We hypothesize that Latina mothers and daughters who either increase their levels of attachment with one another or maintain consistently high levels of attachment will indicate reduced or consistently low levels of substance use and HIV risk behaviors over the 7 year time period.
  • Aim 3. Determine the moderating role of mother-daughter attachment on associations between experiences of detrimental social determinants and trajectories of change for substance use and HIV risk behaviors among a community-based sample of Latina mothers and daughters. We postulate that the association between detrimental social determinants and trajectories of change for substance use and HIV risk behaviors will be moderated by mother-daughter attachment. Specifically, detrimental social determinants will be positively associated with substance use and HIV risk behavior trajectories only among mothers and daughters with declining or consistently low levels of attachment over time (and not among individuals with increasing or high attachment over time). Thus, mother-daughter attachment will buffer the effects of detrimental social determinants on substance use and HIV risk behaviors over time.