Is Acculturation Associated with the Cognitive Performance of Older Hispanics?

Background: Hispanics in the United Statues are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Little is known about the impact of acculturation on cognitive performance. Objective: This study examined the association between acculturation and cognitive performance among older Hispanics. Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data of 616 Hispanic participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2014 [average age = 67.15 years, %Female = 51.46, %less than high-school graduate = 52.60]. Cognitive performance was measured by two neuropsychological tests: Animal Fluency Test (AFT) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). We used two single-item proxy measures to quantify acculturation: nativity status (non-US-born residing < 15 years in the US (low acculturation), non-US-born residing ≥15 years in the US, and US-born (high acculturation)); and language acculturation (only/mostly Spanish (low acculturation), Spanish and English, only/mostly English (high acculturation)). We used adjusted linear regression to evaluate associations between acculturation and cognitive performance. Results: Results indicated poorer cognitive performance among the low-acculturated groups for both nativity and linguistic measures. Participants who were non-US-born living ≥15 years (p = 0.02) and speaking only/mostly Spanish or Spanish and English (p = 0.01 and 0.006 respectively) had significantly lower AFT scores compared to US-born and only/mostly English-speaking groups. Participants who were non-US-born living < 15 years (p < 0.0001) or non-US-born living ≥15 years (p < 0.0001) and speaking only/mostly Spanish (p = 0.0008) scored lower on the DSST than the US-born and only/mostly English-speaking participants. Conclusion: In summary, low acculturation is associated with poorer cognitive performance among older Hispanics. Acculturation might be an important attribute to help understand cognitive decline and dementias among Hispanics.

Hispanic Acculturation: Associations with Family Planning Behaviors and Attitudes

INTRODUCTION. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of Hispanic acculturation in the United States (US) with family planning behaviors and attitudes. METHODS. Surveys of 225 Hispanic women were collected that used acculturation measures of number of years lived in US and the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH) along with questions about family planning behaviors including birth control use, sterilization, and abortion. RESULTS. SASH-Language statistically differed (p=0.03) where those with ‘yes birth control’ had significantly lower English acculturation (M=6.10, SD=1.77) than those with ‘no birth control’ (M=7.00, SD=3.16). Greater US acculturation on SASH-Ethnic Social Relations was positively associated with the attitude that finances are important when considering to have children (r=0.18, p<0.05). Number of years lived in the US was positively associated with the attitude that it is a woman’s personal choice to have an elective termination of pregnancy (r=0.19, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS. Healthcare providers should consider patient acculturation level when discussing family planning topics. It is possible that a more detailed explanation concerning the reasons for family planning is necessary when discussing family planning topics with Hispanic patients who exhibit higher levels of English language acculturation.

The Association of the Parent–Child Language Acculturation Gap with Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk in Hispanic/Latino Youth: Results from the Hispanic Community Children’s Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth)

Background Hispanic/Latino youth are disproportionately burdened by obesity and have a high prevalence of prediabetes and dyslipidemia. Differences in parent and child acculturation related to language use and preference (i.e., language acculturation) are associated with adverse cardiometabolic health behaviors, but no study has examined associations with cardiometabolic markers. Purpose To determine whether discordance in parent–child language acculturation (parent–child acculturation gap) was associated with poor youth cardiometabolic health. Methods Hispanic/Latino 8–16-year-olds (n = 1,466) and parents from the Hispanic Community Children’s Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth) were examined. Mean scores for the Brief ARSMA-II’s Anglo (AOS) and Latino (LOS) Orientation Scales represented language acculturation. Cardiometabolic markers included youth body mass index (BMI) percentile, blood pressure percentiles, and dysglycemia and hyperlipidemia measures. Missing data were imputed. Survey-weighted multivariable linear regression examined the association of youth, parent, and youth × parent (the acculturation gap) AOS and LOS scores separately with each cardiometabolic marker. Results Youth reported greater English and lower Spanish use than parents. Greater discordance in AOS scores was associated with elevated BMI percentile only (p-for-interaction &lt; .01). The LOS acculturation gap was not associated with any outcome. Adjustment for acculturative stress, family functioning and closeness, parenting style, and youth’s diet and physical activity did not alter findings. Removal of nonsignificant acculturation gaps did not indicate an association between individual youth or parent AOS or LOS scores and any cardiometabolic marker. Conclusions Discordance in Hispanic/Latino parent–child dyads’ English use may relate to increased risk for childhood obesity. Future studies should identify mediators of this association.

Attitude and Information from Health Professionals Were Associated with Decision to Donate Organs among Arabic-Speaking Refugees: Exploring Opportunities for Intervention

This cross-sectional survey study conducted between May and August 2017 on Arabic-speaking refugees resettled in Australia examined factors associated with willingness to donate organs. Of the 239 respondents, those who expressed greater willingness to donate organs and tissues were more likely to: (a) be Christians; (b) have obtained information from healthcare professionals (HCPs); (c) have higher organ and tissue donation (OTD) knowledge; (d) have a positive attitude towards OTD; and (e) have high English language acculturation levels. Nevertheless, after controlling for English language usage and religion, having a positive attitude towards OTD and receiving information from HCPs emerged as independent predictors of willingness to donate, underscoring the importance of educational interventions by HCPs

Motivational Orientation and Language Acculturation Experienced by English Speaking Adults Learning Arabic in Saudi Arabia

This study aimed to explore in-depth the process of second language acquisition in a broader context than classrooms and gain a greater understanding of language acculturation process abroad. It mainly examined the influence of various factors on the language acculturation strategy adopted by L2 learners, including socio-demographic data, language proficiency level, motivational orientation for learning L2, and perceived language acculturative stress. The study targeted a sample of fifty English-speaking bilingual female adults learning Arabic as a second language in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected with the use of three scales: motivational orientation for learning Arabic as an L2, language acculturation within the hosting society, and language acculturative stress. Also, a semi-structured interview was used to gain a deep understanding of the language acculturation process as experienced by the research sample. Quantitative results proved that, first, participants’ integrative orientation to learning Arabic was higher than instrumental motivation; second, participants were more adjusted to their native culture with the majority having a little of language acculturative stress. Regression analysis revealed that only age and nationality had a statistically significant effect on the language acculturation level. The results of the interview showed parallelism with some of the quantitative results of the study. Some pedagogical implications and future research issues are discussed.

Xenonarrative texts in literary and narrative communication: functional and pragmatic approach

The article is devoted to the pragmatic analysis of literary xeno-narrative – a special type of literary and narrative communication that implements specific communicative functions and strategies aimed at discursive processing of cultural and linguistic otherness. The discursive processing of cultural otherness is understood as a process of verbal reflection of foreign cultural experience in literary xeno-narrative based on multilevel language means and understanding of the cultural and conventional norms of another linguistic culture in order to minimize the stress of intercultural adaptation. The paper defines the essential features of xeno-narrative, defined as a literary narrative, thematically immersed in the discourse of intercultural interaction, pragmatically reflecting the method of discursive processing of cultural foreignness and intentionally aimed at verbal transfer of mental experience from the author to the reader in the format of literary and narrative communication. The use of discursive, contextual and intent analysis of narrative allowed us to identify functionally and pragmatically determined linguistic and cultural conventions means of discursive processing in xeno-narrative. The following functions of xenonarrative were determined: minimizing the stress of cultural adaptation and verbal transfer of mental experience. In addition, three author’s strategies in literary xeno-narrative were described. The otherness identification strategy includes several trajectories for evaluating the friend / foe categories: “friend” can be connected both positively and negatively, “foe” is hostile at the initial stage of adaptation, but assimilation mitigates negative evaluation semes. The strategy of language acculturation is analyzed in the focus of the secondary language personality formation. The subjectification strategy is aimed at the most complete perception of the system of author's meanings and images, as well as at the reader’s emotional involvement and empathy. Conclusions in the work are made on the basis of the texts of literary xeno-narratives “Die undankbare Fremde” by I. Brezhna and “Girl in translation” by J. Kwok, as well as the electronic corps of Russian, English and German readers' reviews.

Effect of linguistic acculturation on self-efficacy and anxiety in caregivers of Latina breast cancer survivors.

12121 Background: Latina breast cancer survivors and their caregivers face unique challenges. Acculturation is the acquisition of the cultural elements of a dominant society. Higher acculturation in Latino survivors is positively correlated with self-efficacy in patient-provider communication and improved patient-reported outcomes. There is a paucity of research on how language acculturation affects caregiver and patient outcomes. We examined associations over time between linguistic acculturation among caregivers of Latina survivors and outcomes of caregiver self-efficacy and anxiety. Methods: We partnered with four community-based organizations that serve Latino families facing cancer. We enrolled 136 Latina breast cancer survivors and their caregivers for a randomized trial comparing a dyadic coping intervention to usual care (e.g., support groups). Participants completed surveys including demographic and clinical information, the short acculturation scale for Hispanics, caregiver inventory to assess self-efficacy and PROMIS domains of anxiety at baseline and 6-months after the intervention. Results: In multivariate linear regressions models, we examined the effect of acculturation on caregiver self-efficacy and anxiety, controlling for demographics (patient and caregiver age, caregiver education, employment), patient treatment history (chemotherapy and surgery) patient and caregiver language preference (Spanish or English) and intervention arm (intervention vs. usual care). Greater caregiver self-efficacy at 6-months was associated with younger patient age (t=-2.93, p=.004), older caregiver age (t=2.63, p = .01), female caregiver gender (t=2.79, p = .006) and higher acculturation (t=2.01, p=.04), controlling for baseline self-efficacy, patient language and randomization group. Caregiver anxiety was not related to caregiver acculturation or patient language preferences. Conclusions: Caregivers’ language acculturation was significantly associated with their self-efficacy over time, suggesting that caregivers with lower acculturation experience lower confidence in their provision of care for Latina survivors. These findings are particularly salient because participants for this study were enrolled from organizations with bilingual services. Caregivers of Latina survivors without access to these community resources may face even more striking challenges. Future work can explore how caregivers’ confidence relates to survivors’ adherence to care and patient outcomes over time.

PENGAPSAHAN: TRANSLATION MODELS, LOCAL LANGUAGE PRESERVATION, AND LANGUAGE ACCULTURATION PROCESSES IN KIAI BOOKS OF COASTAL JAVA

Pengapsahan model is a translation model that has long been used by Kiai in several traditional pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) on coastal Java. During this time, the conjugation model is only understood as a tool for analyzing text structures, whereas far more than that, there is a variety of Javanese typically used in pesantren having a social role so that the variety of Javanese is still preserved by pesantren communities. This paper examines the model of analyzing the pesantren books. The study will also look at the formulation of Kitabi Javanese language and the reasons why the variety of Javanese of the pesantren that continues to be preserved and maintained by the pesantren community, as well as how the process of conjugation has become a part of the process of acculturation in Javanese and Arabic in the texts of religious books. The results of this study, First; the conjugation model is a special model for Arabic texts created by Islamic boarding school scholars with various analytical tools in it; Second, the variety of languages used in the conjugation of the book is a variety of Javanese of coastal dialects and it has become a corpus of its language which is called Jawa Kitabi (Kitabi Javanese); Third, the process of acculturation of Arabic-Javanese in the tradition of conjugation is characterized by the emergence of the pegon script, the emergence of Javanese translation books with the Arabic structure of fusha, the existence of mixed code phenomena in the writing and translating pesantren books, both mixed codes of Javanese-Arabic, Javanese-Indonesian and mixed codes of Javanese Krama-Ngoko.

Polypharmacy and Depressive Symptoms in U.S.-Born Mexican American Older Adults

Background: Although some studies have suggested a link between polypharmacy and poor mental health, less is known about the association between polypharmacy and depressive symptomology among U.S.-born older Mexican Americans. Aim: This study aimed to test the association between polypharmacy and depressive symptoms in U.S.-born older Latino Americans. Materials and methods: Data came from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA 2008). A total of 691 U.S.-born older (age >= 65) Mexican Americans entered this analysis. Polypharmacy was the independent variable. Level of depressive symptoms was the outcome. Age, gender, socioeconomic status (education, income, and employment), retirement status, health (chronic medical conditions, self-rated health, and activities of daily living), language, acculturation, and smoking were the covariates. A linear regression model was used to analyze the data. Results: We found a positive association between polypharmacy and depressive symptoms, which was above and beyond demographic factors, socioeconomic status, physical health, health behaviors, language, acculturation, and health insurance. Conclusion: Polypharmacy is linked to depressive symptoms in U.S.-born older Mexican Americans. More research is needed to test the effects of reducing inappropriate polypharmacy on mental well-being of first and second generation older Mexican Americans. There is also a need to study the role of drug-drug interaction in explaining the observed link between polypharmacy and depressive symptoms.