Considering cultural factors in the links between disclosure and relatinship quality in U.S. Latinx families

Abstract

As the population of Latinx youth and families continues to grow within the United States, the more necessary it is to understand the dynamics of these families, especially given the positive impact that family support has on college success for students of Latin American descent. The present study examines how ethnic affirmation/belonging, respect-for-family, and disclosure to mothers, fathers, and siblings relate to positive and negative relationship quality within each of these relationships. Participants included 206 college students between 18-25 years-of-age enrolled in a 4-year university in the continental United States with at least one sibling and Latin American ancestry. Data was collected via online surveys. Measures used in the present study include the affirmation/belonging subscale of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure; the respect-for-family subscale of the Family Obligations measure; frequency of voluntary disclosure to mothers, fathers, and closest-in-age siblings, and the short form of the Network of Relationships Inventory to assess positive and negative relationship quality with mothers, fathers, and siblings. Personal disclosure was related to positive relationship quality across family relationships. Gender differences emerged for relationships certain types of disclosure and positive and negative relationship quality, and for ethnic affirmation/belonging and positive and negative relationship quality. Respect-for-family was also consistently related to positive relationship quality and disclosure across all domains, and family members. Different patterns emerged for mixed gender and same gender sibling dyads and the relationship between ethnic affirmation/belonging, respect-for-family, and positive relationship quality. Limitations, future directions, and implications are also discussed.