Marriage and Family Concerns for Immigrants

The Training for the Healthy Marriage and Family Formation curriculum was created through the cooperative efforts of:

Jennifer L. Baker, Psy.D.

Anne B. Summers, Ph.D. Debbi Steinmann, M.A. Training Instructor / Mentors Melissa A. Gibson, M.S.

Kim Rozell, M.A.

Graduate Assistants Brent Anderson, M.S.

Matthew Biller, M.A. Cate Brandon, M.A Dawn Clinard, M.A.

Jessie Clinton, M.S. Tabitha Carlson, M.S.

Anup Jonathan Tony Larson, B.A. Nicole Mannis, M.A.

Robert Mindrup, M.S.S.W.

Colleen Quinn, Ph.D. Amber Schafer, M.A. Amanda Schroeder, B.S.

Ethnicity is defined as…

• Part of a person’s self-concept and social identity that comes from membership in a social group and the value attached to that membership.

• It includes the following components: – Cultural values, attitudes, and behaviors.

– A sense of group membership.

– Experiences resulting from minority status.

Consists of five stages:

Racial/Cultural Identity Development

1. Conformity stage 2. Dissonance stage 3. Resistance and immersion stage 4. Introspection stage 5. Integrative awareness stage

Consists of five stages:

Racial/Cultural Identity Development

1. Conformity stage 2. Dissonance stage 3. Resistance and immersion stage 4. Introspection stage 5. Integrative awareness stage

Definition: Acculturative Stress

• Considered to be a normal part of the immigration experience.

• Consists of three phases: – Contact phase – Conflict phase – Adaptation phase

Acculturative Stress

• Increases as the number of competing values between the two cultures increase.

• Can be life-long, pervasive, and intense.

• May result in depression, anxiety, substance use, or marital conflict.

Competing Values Between Country of Origin and New Country

The importance of: • Family • Achievement • Time (such as being on time or planning ahead) • Gender roles • Values surrounding education and work • Family structure

Acculturative Stress

• Many families are unprepared for the challenges and conflict that accompany immigration.

• Successful resolution of acculturative stress involves a bicultural identity and the integration of values, customs and behaviors of both the home country and the new country.

Acculturative Stress

Other possible outcomes include: • Marginalization • Separation • Assimilation • Integration

Grief

• Symptoms may include: – Numbness, shock, disbelief.

– Pain, despair, disorganization.

– Anger, misdirected at others or internalized.

• Loss is vague, pervasive.

• New relationships are experienced as betrayal.

Loss

• Loss of social support often impacts couple and family relationships.

• Both family and interpersonal relationships may be left behind.

• This can create a feeling that one does not belong.

• It can also result in identity confusion and feelings of worthlessness.

Marital Distress

• Women often acculturate more rapidly.

• Men may rigidly adhere to traditional gender roles as a defense against acculturative stress.

• This may create an imbalance in the traditional structure of the Hispanic family.

Marital Distress

Risk factors for abuse include: – Environmental stress – Immigration-related stressors – Alcohol abuse These risk factors can be mediated by positive relational variables.

Common Transitional Problems

• Changes in family and generational boundaries • Lessening of parental authority • Fear of losing children to the new culture • Extended family enmeshment disengagement problems • Children often assuming adult roles

Intergenerational Differences

• Families must cope with normal developmental transitions in addition to the stress of acculturation and adaptation.

• Family members are frequently unaware that their acculturation level is contributing to the conflict.

• Family members tend to attribute each others’ behaviors to negative internal characteristics.

Stepwise Migration

• Definition: – A common practice characterized by the parents moving to a new country first, and then the children following later.

Stepwise Migration Concerns

1. Bond may be weakened between parent and child.

2. Children face multiple separation experiences.

3. Parenting is disrupted, making it more difficult for parents to adapt to developmental transitions.

4. Mother-oldest daughter may have power struggle.

Stepwise Migration With Hispanic Immigrants

Problems Related to Separation:

• Children, especially girls, report depressive symptoms.

• Married couples often become distant or tense.

• Longer separations increase relationship disruption.

Suggestions for Working With Immigrant Families Three areas:

• Be aware of one’s own culture and biases.

• Know the world view of the client’s culture.

• Use culturally appropriate interventions.

Suggestions for Working With Immigrant Families

• Family therapy has been supported as the treatment of choice for many cultures.

• Be aware of typical dynamics and patterns of immigrant families, but recognize the uniqueness of each family.

• Normalize the difficulty of the transition and offer hope that the family will eventually overcome this challenging stage.

Assessment of Immigrant Families

• Ask about the circumstances surrounding the immigration and the length of time that has passed since the family immigrated.

• Determine level of acculturation.

• Interview subsystems separately.

• Assess the degree of family cohesion.

Education for Immigrant Families

• Increase awareness of various levels of change in the family and environment.

• Parents: Differences in discipline, school structures and peer pressure.

• Children: Cultural differences, coping with teasing and communicating with family.

Suggestions for Working With Immigrant Families

•

Cultural Brokering

: Reframe family conflicts as different rates of acculturation and attempts to adjust to the new culture.

• Normalize family’s experience and struggles.

• Encourage each family member to tell his/her own story.

• Help families negotiate which values will be retained or relinquished.

Suggestions for Working With Immigrant Families

• Help clients expand their social support network.

• Ask about extended family.

• Ask about religion/spirituality.

• Facilitate coordination with other systems.

• Become familiar with immigration law.

Suggestions for Working With Immigrant Families

• Provide concrete, authoritative suggestions.

• Empower the family by asking about their culture with an attitude of “not knowing.”

Websites

Alianzas (in affiliation with the University of Missouri):

http://www.alianzas.us/main

Ozarks Marriage Matters

http://www.ozarksmarriagematters.org

Immigration Online:

http://www.immigrationline.org

National Alliance for Hispanic Health:

http://www.hispanichealth.org

The National Council of La Raza:

http://www.nclr.org

Questions