Predictors of the Quality of Life of Informal Carers of Adults on the Autism Spectrum.
Latino families with ASD emerging adults show high acculturative stress and divergent acculturation levels that must be addressed in transition planning.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Lee et al. (2022) talked with Latino parents who care for grown sons or daughters with autism. The young adults were 18 to 25 years old. The team asked how different levels of American and Latino culture inside the same family shape daily stress and family life.
What they found
Parents and their adult children often live with high acculturative stress. When parents hold strong traditional Latino values and the young adult leans toward U.S. culture, the gap adds tension. These culture gaps shape how the family plans for the future.
How this fits with other research
Lopez et al. (2020) found Latina mothers of younger kids felt less pessimistic than White mothers. That sounds opposite to the high stress T et al. report. The gap makes sense: younger kids still live at home, so culture clashes are smaller. Different age, different stress.
Wong et al. (2020) asked 226 parents of transition-age youth what protects their quality of life. Parent optimism and solid transition plans came out on top. T et al. add culture fit as another key piece of the puzzle.
Aleman-Tovar et al. (2025) gave 29 Latino caregivers a six-session Spanish advocacy class. Knowledge and empowerment went up. Their program offers one clear way to lower the stress T et al. describe.
Why it matters
When you work with Latino families of adults with autism, ask about culture gaps first. A parent who values familismo may clash with a son who wants total independence. Build transition plans that honor both views. Offer Spanish advocacy classes like ASISTIR. Small moves that respect culture can cut stress faster than generic parent training.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Latino families with emerging adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face unique challenges during the transition to adulthood, influenced by cultural values, acculturation, and systemic barriers. Acculturation and acculturative stress are particularly relevant in this population, as they navigate cultural adaptation while maintaining traditional values like familismo (family) and respeto (respect). These dynamics are further complicated by disparities in access to resources and culturally responsive interventions. This study explores the interplay of cultural values, acculturation, and acculturative stress among Latino emerging adults with ASD and their Spanish-speaking parents participating in a culturally adapted and translated intervention. Using a cross-sectional design, we examined data from 26 emerging adults (18-25 years old) and 38 of their parents, assessing cultural values, acculturation levels, acculturative stress, and outcomes. Findings revealed significant acculturative stress in both emerging adults and parents, particularly related to intercultural relations, language, and discrimination. Strong traditional cultural values, such as familismo and respeto, were prevalent and influenced family dynamics and adaptive functioning during the transition to adulthood. A divergence in acculturation levels was noted, with emerging adults displaying higher acculturation, especially in language and social relations. The findings have implications for understanding emerging adulthood and the development of culturally tailored interventions for Latino emerging adults and their parents.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2022 · doi:10.1017/S0033291798006667