The Effects of Household Food Security Discordance on Antisocial Behavior Among Latino Adolescents in the United States

Objectives: First, to examine the effects of household food insecurity discordance status on adolescent antisocial behavior. Second, to determine if adolescents’ gender moderates the association between household food insecurity discordance and adolescent antisocial behavior.Design: Cross-sectional data of Latino parents and adolescents from the same household were collected in Tulsa, Oklahoma, between January 1, 2013, and January 1, 2014. Using a general linear model (GLM), we examined associations between household food insecurity discordance and adolescents’ antisocial behavior.Sample: The sample includes Latino parent and adolescent dyads (N = 69 dyads, 138 individuals), where parents were 89.9% women, Mage = 38.46, and adolescents were 43.5% girls, Mage = 14.3.Measurements: Food security assessed using the 18-item US Food Security Survey for adults, the 9-item Self-Administered Food Security Module for children aged 12 and older for adolescents. Adolescents were asked to complete a modified 24-item version of the Problem Behavior Frequency Scale to assess antisocial behavior.Results: Findings showed that adolescent food insecurity discordance was associated with greater antisocial behavior for girls. Parental food insecurity discordance was associated with greater antisocial behavior for boys.Conclusions: Findings provide insight into the negative implications of household food insecurity discordance on Latino adolescents’ antisocial behavior.