Transcript Father Absence – African American Males

Understanding Latinos and
Latinas
Carolyn R. Fallahi, Ph. D.
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The link between physical and
emotional
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believe that strong emotions may
cause physical illness and thus
perceive the psyche as affecting one’s
physical condition.
They would rather seek medical
treatment.
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Slow to accept mental health
services
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Why?
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high tolerance for psychopathology
among Latino/Latina families.
barriers such as economics, language,
environment and sociocultural factors.
Issues with the therapy.
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Reference Issues
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Hispanic (e.g. census descriptor)
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Latino is a nongendered term.
Latinos refer to males and Latinas to
females.
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Population Estimates
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2000 US Census
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12.5 percent
35.3 million in the US
Projection 2030 – 63 million
Projection 2050 – 88 million
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Education
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Over 1/4th have less than a 9th grade
education.
Approximately 2/5 have not graduated
from high school.
Latino/Latina children are often
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misplaced into special ed classrooms
directed into non-college bond tracks
(Gay, 2000).
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Employment & Income
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By 2000, almost 7% of Latinos/Latinas age
16 and older were unemployed as
compared to 3.4 % Whites.
Puerto Ricans have the highest
unemployment rates (8.1%) whereas
Central and South Americans have the
lowest (5.1%).
For those employed FT – 1/4th earned
$35,000 or more as compared to 50% of
Whites.
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Religion
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Predominant religion – Catholicism.
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The Latino/Latina College
Student
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Issues:
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lower SES status
underemployment
experiences of oppression and racism.
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Some Issues
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Acculturation
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Traditionalism-Modernism
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Strict and separate role definitions for
men and women
Strong family and community (group)
identity and loyalty as contrasted with
individualism
Time orientation to the past and present
vs the future
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Traditionalism-Modernism
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Valuing of age (elderly) vs youth
Valuing of traditions and rituals
Subservience to conventions and
authority vs questioning of authority
Valuing of spirituality vs secularism
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Familismo
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Familism or familismo refers to
Latino/as’ profound sense of family.
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Strong feelings of loyalty
Interdependence
Family needs vs. individual needs
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Family
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extended kinship systems
Nonrelated family members
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compadres or comadres
padrinos or madrinas
hijos de crianza
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Family
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La familia serves as a natural support
system
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providing support
acting as a buffer against stress
Latino/a nuclear families to expand to
include extended family members,
nonblood-related members, new
generations, and adult members
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Family as a liability
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In the Latino/a culture, family support
can be both a strength and a liability.
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Great value placed upon:
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Great value is placed on manners,
courtesy, and harmonious
relationships.
As a result, conflict, direct argument,
and contradiciton are considered rude.
Such a cultural script
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deviate from the simpatia are likely to be
rejected by more traditional Latinos/as.
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Gender Roles
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Gender roles in the Latino/a cultures
are frequently represented as negative
stereotypes.
Latinos/as continue to adhere to
traditional gender roles.
Modification?
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Gender
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Machismo: traditional sex roles
Historically, Mexican concepts of
machismo.
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Machismo
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Machismo has both positive and
negative connotations; but it is almost
always negatively defined.
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Negative Stereotypes
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The negative stereotypes and
perceptions of Latinos/as are many.
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marianismo and hembrismo
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Marianismo: the value that women are
expected to revere and emulate the Virgin
Mary and endure suffering.
Hembrismo: embodies “femaleness”
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Latino/a youth
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Latino/a youth
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unique mental health issues
acculturation gap
lower SES
Undereducation
negative stereotypes
experiences of oppression and racism.
Other issues
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Older Adults
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Problems:
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Physical and emotional difficulties of aging
compounded with:
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Cultural alienation
Racial discrimination
Language barriers
Lack of health insurance
Limited financial resources
Different cultural customs and beliefs
poverty
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