Our Research

The Boricua Youth Study (BYS) is an epidemiological research study assessing mental health in a community sample of Puerto Rican youth. The BYS collected 3 waves of data, from 2000 to 2004, that focused on antisocial behaviors and mental health outcomes of children and parents of Puerto Rican descent across two sites: South Bronx, NY, and San Juan, PR. BYS youth participants are now transitioning into emerging adulthood (ages 16–26), which presents a unique opportunity to understand the development of Latino youth in a critical developmental period. The fourth wave of this study aims to:

1) better understand the effects of acculturation and environment on mental health outcomes; and

2) explore various risky behaviors (i.e., substance use/abuse, HIV/STI sexual risk behaviors, antisocial behaviors, etc.)

Some areas of interest include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Antisocial behaviors
• Substance use
• Neighborhood characteristics
• Migration
• Discrimination
• Acculturation
• Cultural stress
• Sexual risk behaviors
• Marital, peer, and family relationships
• Social support, ethnic/racial identity
• HIV/STI testing

Research Projects

Substance Use/Abuse and HIV/STI Risk Behaviors in Puerto RIcan Youth Growing Up

Project Number: 3R01DA033172-05S1
Principal Investigator(s): Cristiane Duarte
Collaborating Organizations: New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, University of Puerto Rico.

Effects of Social Context, Culture, and Minority Status on Depression and Anxiety

Project Number: 7R01MH098374-05 
Former Number: 3R01MH098374-03S1
Principal Investigator(s): Margarita Alegria, Cristiane Duarte, Glorisa Canino
Collaborating Organizations: Massachusetts General Hospital, New York State Psychiatric Institute, University of Puerto Rico.

Predictors of High-Risk Behavior Among Youth

Project Number: 5R01HD060072-08
Principal Investigator(s): Silvia Martins, Cristiane Duarte, Glorisa Canino
Collaborating Organizations: Columbia University Health Sciences, New York State Psychiatric Institute, University of Puerto Rico.

Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Disadvantage: Neurodevelopment Among Puerto Rican Children

Project Number: 1UG3OD023328-01
Principal Investigator(s): Cristiane Duarte, Catherine Monk, Jonathan Posner, Glorisa Canino
Collaborating Organizations: Columbia University, New York State Psychiatric Institute, University of Puerto Rico.