UNL study on Nebraska Latino youth is first of its kind

31 May 2012    

A research team based at UNL wants to understand what factors predict Latino youth adjustment by launching a large-scale study of Latino youth in Nebraska.

The goal is to understand the experiences of Latino youth in the state, their strengths and challenges, and the family and community supports that help them succeed. Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in Nebraska and the United States.

"We know relatively little about Latino youth in the U.S., because few studies have focused on them," said lead investigator Lisa Crockett, professor of psychology at UNL. "What we do know about Latino youth is based on youth in the Southwest and Northeast, where most of the research has been conducted. As a result, we know very little about the lives of Latino teenagers in other parts of the country and almost nothing about Latino youth in Nebraska.

"We think the situation for Latino youth in the Midwest is unique. Ours is the first study to focus on these youth."