Kontakt 2018, 20(2):e185-e191 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.01.003

Family cohesion and a father's warmth are related to the positive lifestyles of female university studentsSocial Sciences in Health - Original article

Yolanda Campos-Uscanga^a,*, Abigahid Vianey Morales-Ortiz^b, Vianey Guadalupe Argüelles-Nava^a, Luis Amado Ramírez-Chang^b, Raúl Alberto Zavaleta-Abad^c, Rebeca Rosas-Campos^d

^a Universidad Veracruzana, Instituto de Salud Pública, Veracruz, Mexico

^b Universidad del Istmo, Licenciatura en Enfermería, Oaxaca, Mexico

^c Universidad Veracruzana, Facultad de Nutrición, Veracruz, Mexico

^d Universidad Veracruzana, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Veracruz, Mexico

One of the main strategies that healthy universities implement among their students is that of promoting healthy lifestyles. However, behind these healthy lifestyles, there may be some aspects related to family functioning that favour or limit its implementation. Consequently, the objective of this study is to establish whether there is a relationship between lifestyles and family cohesion, family ethnic socialization and the affective behaviour of the father and the mother. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of 159 female university students from an indigenous area of Oaxaca, Mexico. The Healthy Lifestyle Scale for University Students, the Self-Assessment Scale of Affective Behaviour (with regard to the father and the mother) and the Family Cohesion Scale were used. Family ethnic socialization revealed a significant interrelationship with lifestyles in all ethnic groups. However, these scores were higher in the indigenous groups. Although the moderate hostility from the father did not show any relationship with lifestyles in either ethnic group, the scores for hostility from the father were higher in indigenous groups than in the mestizo group. A multivariate analysis confirmed better lifestyles when better family cohesion and greater warmth of the father were observed.

Keywords: Family cohesion; Family ethnic socialization; Father's warmth; Lifestyle; Indigenous woman

Received: September 1, 2017; Revised: December 12, 2017; Accepted: January 19, 2018; Published: June 26, 2018  Show citation