Resiliency in Latino Youth Experiencing Cartel Violence and Other Perceived Traumatic Events

Latino youth at the violent forefront of the U.S.-Mexico border face traumatic events daily. The present study examined Latino youths’ resiliency to the violence that they face and what factors help them cope. A quantitative research approach based upon resilience theory explored social support, perceived traumatic events, and resiliency in 134 Latino youth ages 18 to 19 years who lived near the Texas-Mexico border and had witnessed, had been involved in, or had family members involved in cartel-related violence. Measurement of participants’ family and social supports along with their perceived traumatic events enabled a comparison of these scores with the individual resiliency of the participants. The results of the study showed no correlation between family social support and resiliency; however, there was a significant positive relationship between social support and optimism resiliency. Governments may draw upon these findings to implement programs and support systems for children facing adversity in areas with a high risk of violence. Furthermore, resources allocated to building social support systems may aid resiliency across other ethnicities and races