Bringing Culture Into Parent Training With Latinos

doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2010.01.003

Cognitive and Behavioral Practice

Volume 17, Issue 2, May 2010, Pages 167-175

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2010.01.003 Get rights and content

Abstract

Traditional frameworks of parenting have failed to capture the distinctive nature of parenting in Latino families. Cultural values likely influence parenting practices. The study of cultural values may allow us to identify aspects of parenting that are unique to Latinos and which complement traditional frameworks of parenting. This paper presents qualitative work on two Latino cultural values, familismo and respeto, and examines ways in which these values may inform the provision of standard parent training programs with Latinos. The first study is an ethnography that explored the value of familismo. The second study consisted of focus groups in which Latina mothers discussed the value of respeto. Findings from these two studies are used to examine the cultural congruence of the characteristics of parent training programs and the Latino values of familismo and respeto. In light of the issues identified, clinical guidelines for working with Latino parents in parent training programs are offered.

Section snippets

Study 1: Familismo

Familismo is a multifaceted construct that can be understood in terms of attitudinal and behavioral manifestations (Keefe, 1984). Attitudinal familismo refers to feelings of loyalty, solidarity, and reciprocity among family members. According to Lugo Steidel and Contreras (2003), attitudinal familismo has four components: (a) belief that family comes before the individual; (b) familial interconnectedness; (c) belief in family reciprocity; and (d) belief in familial honor. Behavioral familismo

Study 2: Respeto

The value of respeto is based on the importance of respect and obedience of authority (Gonzales-Ramos et al., 1998), is a means of maintaining harmony within the extended family (Marin & Marin, 1991), and is related to “knowing the level of courtesy and decorum required in a given situation in relation to other people of a particular age, sex and social status” (Harwood, Miller, & Irizarry, 1995, p.98). Delgado-Gaitan (1994) illustrated that for Mexican American parents, respeto emphasizes that

Clinical Implications

The findings from the two studies described above highlight the importance of respeto and familismo in the lives of Latino families, specifically in the domain of parenting, and compel us to explore how cultural values interact with the characteristics of a Westernized parent training program. What are the important cultural processes that would improve engagement and retention? How are treatment mechanisms presented in a manner that makes sense in the cultural context? Are there new mechanisms

Summary

This paper used findings from two previous studies on familismo and resepto to inform a discussion on the clinical implications of these cultural values for parent training programs with Latinos. This work addresses some of the challenges posed by multiculturalism by considering an “etic-to-emic” approach in which a culturally universal (i.e., etic) intervention —parent training—is modified based on culturally specific (i.e., emic) considerations. Culturally informed programs are more likely to

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Bringing Culture Into Parent Training With Latinos

Abstract

Section snippets

Study 1: Familismo

Study 2: Respeto

Clinical Implications

Summary

Behavior Therapy

Application of cultural constructs in the care of first generation Latino clients in a community mental health setting

Journal of Psychiatric Practice

When respect means to obey: Immigrant Mexican mothers' values for their children

Journal of Child and Family Studies

Childrearing dimensions relevant to child maltreatment

The determinants of parenting: A process model

Child Development

Grounded theory and sensitizing concepts

International Journal of Qualitative Methods

Effective psychosocial treatments of conduct-disordered children and adolescents: 29 years, 82 studies, and 5,272 kids

Journal of Clinical Child Psychology

Incorporating the cultural value of respeto into a framework of Latino parenting

Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology

Cultural and parenting cognitions in acculturating cultures: Cultural comparisons and developmental continuity and stability

Journal of Cross Cultural Psychology

Socializing young children in Mexican-American families: An intergenerational perspective

Parenting interventions adapted for Latino families: Progress and prospects

The relationship of maternal behavior and acculturation to the quality of attachment in Hispanic infants living in New York City

Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences

Developmental outcome of minority infants: A process-oriented look into our beginnings

Child Development

The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research

Child-rearing values of low-income, urban Puerto Rican mothers of preschoolers

Professional Psychology Research & Practice

Culturally adapted mental health interventions: A meta-analytic review

Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training

Concepts of culture and their role in the development of culturally competent mental health services

Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences

Acculturation and SES effects on Mexican-American parents' concepts of development

Child Development