Self, Health, and Life Satisfaction in Mexican Americans

California State University Chico, Chico CA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (investigator's abstract): The purpose of this research is to examine individual differences within the Mexican American community in order to generalize and extend findings from two theoretically important studies. Hispanics are the second largest and one of the fastest growing minority groups in the USA. By the year 2050 there will be an estimated 7.9 million Hispanics over 65, with Mexican Americans making up more than half. Yet, Mexican American elderly remain understudied. Specific aims are to: 1) Explore and describe the self-construal and possible selves of Mexican American older adults and college students; 2) Determine the generalizability, in a sample of Mexican Americans, of previous findings relating possible selves to health-protective behaviors; 3) Examine the effects of acculturation on health locus of control, health-protective behaviors, and self-construal; 4) Determine the generalizability, in a sample of Mexican Americans, of previous findings relating self-construal, self-esteem, and relationship harmony to satisfaction with life. Study one seeks to determine if those who have a health-relating image of themselves in the future (a hoped for or feared possible self) engage in more health-protective behaviors than those who do not. Effects of acculturation and health locus of control will also be examined. Results will give insight into motivations for health-protective behaviors and have implications for the design and implementation of interventions and programs for Mexican Americans. Study two examines the relative contributions of self-esteem and relationship harmony to life satisfaction. It is expected that relationship harmony will be a greater contributor in older adults than it is in college students. It is also expected that self-esteem and relationship harmony will mediate the effects of independent and interdependent self-construals as has been shown previously in Whites and Chinese. Study two results will inform efforts to improve the quality of life among elderly Mexican Americans. The studies are correlational and quasi-experimental designs. Interviews and self-report questionnaires will be used to collect data or both studies from Mexican Americans: 100 elderly (55+) and 100 college students. Measures for study one include possible selves, acculturation, health locus of control, and health-protective behaviors. Chi-square and hierarchical multiple regression will be used to analyze these data. Measures in study two are self-construals, acculturation, self-esteem, relationship harmony, global health, and satisfaction with life. Data will be used multisample structural equation models testing invariance between the elders and college students.