In an effort to compare the socialization of Latino and White children with regard to health, a study was undertaken of 94 Latino and White mothers, 75 Latino and White fathers, and their fourth-grade children attending Catholic schools in a mid-sized west coast city. A questionnaire was administered to the children, assessing their locus of control with respect to health, general locus of control, obedience to authority, and perceptions of their own health. Similarly, parents completed a questionnaire regarding their locus of control for their own health and for their child's health, general locus of control, obedience to authority, and perception of their child's health. Findings indicated relationships between the control attitudes of parents and children and differential patterns of relationships between Latino and White families. Specifically, unique characteristics of Latino family health attitudes included less use of pediatric preventive services, lower expectations for child health, and greater dissatisfaction with delivery systems. Latino family dynamics affecting health included an emphasis on family privacy and a tendency to solve problems within the family. These findings confirm the importance of taking ethnicity into account in health education efforts. Tables showing Latino characteristics and correlations between both groups for locus of control, health perceptions, and attitudes toward authority are included. (BCY)