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Latino Cultural Differences in Maternal Assessments of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Symptoms in Children

Maricruz Velez

Rutgers University

Many aspects of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are likely influenced by culture, particularly the differences in perceptions of child behavior and the demands of the environment in homes, schools, and communities of people from different ethnic and cultural groups. In particular, ADHD-related behaviors must be understood within the context of cultural environments and expectations. This study examined differences in parental evaluations of ADHD-related child behaviors in the following three Latino ethnic populations: Mexican (n = 81), Mexican American (n = 179), and Puerto Rican (n = 60). Overall, results indicate an important role for acculturation in mothers’ perceptions of ADHD-related behaviors but only in the measures of hyperactivity and not in the attention deficit aspects of the disorder. Mothers from different Latino cultures and at different levels of acculturation differentially assess specific symptoms of ADHD, indicating the need for careful reassessment of the validity of the disorder for Latino families.

Key Words: ADHD symptoms • Latino culture • acculturation • child behavior

Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 25, No. 1, 110-122 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/0739986303251700


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