An Examination of Intrapersonal Factors Related to Behavioral Risk Outcomes Among Latino Youth in the Adelante Study: Mediation, Moderation, and Path Analyses
Open Access DepositedThis paper examines how personal factors such as religion, future goals, and perceived social support impact behavioral risks in Latino youth from Washington, DC, based on the Adelante study. This population faces challenges including barriers to healthcare access, limited community resources, and an increased exposure to violence, making it vital to understand resilience and protective factors in this group. Using data from the second wave Adelante community-level survey of youth (N=723), we analyzed the influence of positive youth development (PYD) constructs, social support, religiosity, and future aspirations on risk outcomes such as substance use, sexual behaviors, and violence. Religiosity and future aspirations were independent variables, social support was a moderator, and the PYD constructs confidence, connection, competence, and contribution were mediators. Regression models examined the influence of independent variables on risky behaviors, while mediation analysis investigated how PYD constructs impact these relationships, with Sobel's test assessing mediation significance. Moderation analysis examined how varying social support levels affected these relationships, and path analysis and moderated mediation tested the theoretical model's fit using statistics such as chi-square, CFI, and RMSEA. Results indicated that higher religiosity and aspirations correlated with fewer risky behaviors and household structure modestly influenced social support. PYD constructs both partially and fully mediated the relationships between religiosity, aspirations, and risk behaviors, and social support moderated these effects, mostly strengthening protective influences in contexts of lower support. The study suggests promoting PYD and enhancing personal factors such as religiosity and social support to reduce risks among Latino youth. These findings support the development of culturally informed public health strategies and interventions to foster resilience and prevent risky behaviors in this demographic.
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