Childhood Obesity in a Chinese Family Context

This qualitative study explored themes that described families with obese children in Chinese society. Eight obese children and their families participated in the study. Six of the children were male and two were female, ranging in age from 7 to 13. The themes found were: over-involvement between allied parent and obese child, coalition, diffused boundary between extended family and nuclear family, lack of conflict resolution, and disengaged couple boundary. In this study, the significant role that may be played by the extended family in contributing to a child’s obesity, as well as female power dominance in the domestic sphere are considered. Implications for therapy are discussed.     

What Can We Learn from the Study of Mexican‐Origin Families in the United States?

Mexican‐origin families are a large and rapidly increasing subgroup of the U.S. population, but they remain underrepresented in family scholarship. This paper introduces a special section of four papers on Mexican‐origin families designed to contribute to the advancement of research on how cultural, family, and gender socialization processes unfold across key developmental periods and life transitions in this cultural context. Two longitudinal studies of Mexican‐origin families provided the data for these four papers: (a) The Juntos Project, an 8‐year longitudinal study of mothers, fathers, and adolescent sibling pairs in 246 Mexican‐origin families; and (b) The Supporting MAMI Project, a study following 204 adolescent mothers and their mother figures from the third trimester of pregnancy through their young children's 5th birthdays. In this introductory paper, we highlight four themes, including (a) differential acculturation and reciprocal socialization, (b) interdependence in families, (c) the intersection of culture and gender, and (d) methodological issues. We end with suggestions for future research.     

Therapy with Families in China: Cultural Factors Influencing the Therapeutic Alliance and Therapy Goals

Rapid economic and social development in China is producing opportunities for a better standard of living for many families but also is associated with significant stress. Family therapy is one of the forms of mental health services that have become increasingly available. Western-derived models of family therapy are being used and adapted to meet the cultural traditions and needs of Chinese families. This article describes a variety of Chinese cultural factors that can influence the establishment of therapeutic alliances with family members (communication styles, collectivist values, family roles, and structure) and those that can shape family therapy interventions by addressing contextual factors affecting Chinese families (economic development, migration patterns, academic pressure, and changing gender roles for women). Suggestions are offered for using cultural sensitivity to address these factors tactfully to build strong therapeutic alliances and help families cope with significant life stresses.     

The diagnostic and therapeutic uses of family conflicts in a Chinese context: the case of anorexia nervosa

There are two untested cultural beliefs commonly held among family therapists in Hong Kong: (1) Chinese families are reserved in disclosing their conflicts to an 'outsider'; and (2) it would be culturally inappropriate to elicit family conflicts in treatment. In this article, an attempt is made to examine these cultural beliefs based on the results of a qualitative study of thirty-five Chinese patients suffering from anorexia nervosa. These patients and their families have participated in a pre-treatment family interview prior to the commencement of family treatment. The results of the study have shown that the afflicted Chinese families are very willing to disclose their difficulties to the researcher. The onset of the disorder has led to different types of family conflicts including: (1) overt family conflicts related to food refusal; (2) covert family conflicts; (3) increased sibling rivalry; (4) increased parent–child conflict; and (5) marital tension and distress. The clinical implications of this study are discussed at the end of the article.     

Factors affecting the success of Hmong college students in America

This study explores barriers and success factors of Hmong students in American colleges by interviewing five Hmong graduate students from refugee families in the US. Emerging themes revolve around academic, cultural and financial barriers. Professors, advisors, classmates, academic support programmes, family, financial aid and their own psychological resources were identified as supportive factors in addressing their academic, cultural and financial needs. Implications and recommendations are drawn on how college counsellors and other professionals may best assist Hmong college students.     

The Effects of Parental Education and Family Income on Mother–Child Relationships,Father–Child Relationships,and Family Environments in the People's Republic of China

Using a cross‐sectional design with 407 Chinese children aged 3–5 years and their parents, this study examined the effects of socioeconomic status, specifically parents' education and family income, on the children's mother–child relationships, father–child relationships, and the social environment in their families. The results indicated that income negatively predicted conflict in father–child relationships and positively predicted family active‐recreational environments. Income also positively predicted family cohesion among girls but not boys. Maternal education negatively predicted conflict in mother–child relationships and positively predicted closeness in mother–child and father–child relationships, family cohesion, and the intellectual‐cultural and active‐recreational environments in the family. Paternal education positively predicted family cohesion and intellectual‐cultural and active‐recreational environments. Income was found to partially mediate the effects of both maternal and paternal education on family active‐recreational environments. Findings are discussed in the frameworks of the family stress model and the family investment model.     

Personhood,culture and family therapy

This paper argues that ideas about personhood and relationships vary cross-culturally and that although it is not always obvious or easy to discover, this variation is particularly salient to family therapy. This argument is supported by a dual definition of culture emphasizing both continuity of cultural themes (generative aspect) and the reconstitution, redefinition and change of such themes through interaction and communication (interactive aspect). The effectiveness of interventions which are isomorphic with ideas which families themselves hold about personhood is demonstrated through work with two families, one Punjabi and one Bangladeshi.     

Parental confirmation as a mitigator of feeling caught and family satisfaction

This study tested parental confirmation as a mitigator of the inverse association between young adults' feelings of being caught and family satisfaction. Participants included 567 young adult children from intact and divorced families. Results indicated that mother's confirmation mitigated the inverse association between feeling caught and family satisfaction for young adults from divorced families. Family satisfaction was lowest in divorced families when young adults felt caught and their fathers were disconfirming, though young adults in intact families reported even less satisfaction in such a communicative context. Importantly, mother confirmation was more predictive of family satisfaction in divorced families than in intact families, whereas father confirmation was more predictive of family satisfaction than mother confirmation for young adults in intact families.     

ABSTRACTS OF LITERATURE

Schizophrenia is due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The author asserts that there has previously been an error in conceiving the patient as being molded completely by external circumstances. In fact, it is the patient's behavior, which is a transformation of family irrationality, that constitutes schizophrenia. In 75 per cent of cases of schizophrenia seen by the author in private practice, the mother did not fit the image of the so-called “schizophrenogenic mother.” In this technique for teaching family therapy, the students take the roles of the family. Procedures, selection of players, formulating the problem, the value of the experience, and ground rules are described. This is a case report and follow-up over nine years of an alcoholic woman. The patient and husband were treated for 35 sessions by cotherapists in conjoint marital therapy. Although there was improvement in the family patterns and in drinking behavior during the treatment, the improvement did not last after termination. The case suggests that marital therapy in the absence of other treatment interventions is ineffective in changing the long-run course of women alcoholics. Based on the author's practice on an inpatient unit that specializes in the study of aggressive behavior, he describes family dynamics and treatment when the identified patient suffers from “episodic violent behavior.” The sample focuses on adolescents, most of whom had episodes of suicidal behavior and who had some evidence of “organic involvement.” Typical family patterns include overly close alliances by the adolescent with one or both parents and transmission by parents of inconsistent values regarding aggression. Family therapy is seen as the preferred treatment approach and emphasizes family ways of handling dyscontrol episodes and the responsibility of the patient for his or her actions. No results are reported. This study attempts to link family variation and core relationships in types of families with the mental health of children. Sample was from a black, poor, urban community defined in terms of the adults present in the home. Eighty-six family types were found falling into ten major classes. Measures of mental health in children were done on psychological well-being of the children and on Social Adaptational Status. Results indicate that family type is strongly related over time to child's SAS and his or her psychological well-being. Mother-alone families entail the highest risk in terms of social maladaptation and psychological well-being of the child; the presence of certain second adults has important ameliorative functions—mother/grandmother families being nearly as effective as mother/father families, with mother/stepfather families similar to mother-alone in regard to risk. Inferences from this data and implications and interventions are discussed. This is a clinical essay on the role of family therapy for black families. In addition to the usual family stresses, black families are subject to the additional strain of discrimination. Support is achieved mostly from the family and from the kinship network, rather than the community. Treatment strategies for this situation are proposed. This essay reviews recent regulations concerning consent procedures and protection of privacy as they apply to children and their families. Rigorous sample selection, nearly complete follow-up, and objective assessment of outcome are virtually impossible at this point. It is concluded that compliance with current “subjects' rights” regulations sometimes seems potentially more harmful to the subjects than the research itself. One case example is presented in support of the hypothesis that brief family therapy has the potential to lead to individual personality changes that are long-lasting. The identified patient was a 15½ year old boy with the symptom of having a falsetto voice. Father, mother, and child were seen in twelve family therapy sessions with changes in the boy's self-image documented in “man-figure” drawings. Nine-month follow-up revealed no recurrence of the presenting symptom and an improvement in social and familial relationships of the identified patient. This is another in a series of papers from a divorce-counseling project. The focus in this paper is on preventive clinical interventions developed for children of various ages in divorcing families. Developmental assessment was achieved with a “brief” history from the parents, detailed information from school, and “direct observation” of the child. This paper covers treatment strategies, interventions, failures, therapist's role, and professional dilemmas in divorce counseling of 60 families with 131 children between the ages of 3 and 18 at the time of divorce. The technique of counseling was to see one parent and child separately by the same therapist three to six times over a three-month period. This is a research study to provide data on the question of whether the disturbed behavior of parents with a schizophrenic child preexists or is a response to an identified patient's pathology. Method was to administer a conceptual task called the Twenty Questions Task individually to each family member and to the family as a unit with a sample of 36 schizophrenic families, 13 non-schizophrenic controls, and 38 normal controls. Results “indicated that far more schizophrenic sons than control sons were much more efficient individually than with their families.” A number of schizophrenic sons performed competently as individuals, but the subsequent performance of parents and sons together on the same task was generally inferior to that of the son alone. Results suggest that the parental behavior plays a part in the etiology of schizophrenia.     

How Adolescent Children of African Jamaican Immigrants Living in Canada Perceive and Negotiate their Roles within a Matrifocal Family

This research project examined the adolescent/young adult-parent relationships of African Jamaican immigrants currently living in Canada. Specifically, we focused on the transmission of cultural values and beliefs within these relationships and how the adolescents navigated and negotiated potential changes in these values because of their acculturative experiences. An examination of various mundane family/cultural practices provided insight into perceived transmission attempts by parents and the adolescent/young adult interpretation of these attempts. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted with adolescent/young adult members of African Jamaican immigrant families living in Canada. Using Grounded Theory methodology (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), several themes emerged during the analysis of the interviews—the most significant being the issue of matrifocality within the African Jamaican family. Issues of respect and adolescent agency are also discussed as they related to the manner in which the adolescent/young adult attempted to negotiate various roles within the family.     

Prolonged Separation and Reunification among Chinese Immigrant Children and Families: An Exploratory Study

The present study explored the lived experiences of Chinese immigrant parents in New York City who went through prolonged separation and faced challenges after reunification in the United States. The study assessed their attitudes, perceptions, and reactions to the separation and reunification process to gain better understanding of the ways prolonged separation and reunification impact on child development and family wellbeing. A phenomenological research approach was used to study qualitatively the narrative data from in-depth interviews. The analytical process was based on data immersion, coding, sorting codes into themes, and comparing the themes across interviews. The sample included 18 Chinese immigrant families who had sent their American-born children to China for rearing and reunited with their children within the past 5 years. Data analyses revealed specific themes that included reasons for separation, parenting methods, child’s initial adjustment, behavior, and family relationship, child’s social, emotional, and academic challenges, parental stress and challenges, and recommendations for services. This study contributed to our knowledge of prolonged separation, a common practice among a vulnerable, hard-to-reach immigrant population. It shed light on specific needs of Chinese immigrant families by examining closely the unique circumstances pertaining to prolonged separation, parenting practice, and related family challenges. An understanding of the approaches these families adopt to cope with life challenges may help inform practitioners in formulating service strategies for these families. Specific assessments in child-care, education, and health care settings are essential to prompt immediate follow-up and intervention when needed.     

Family Themes: Transmission and Transformation

This article describes a method for doing therapy that uses multisystemic themes that combine meaning and action to facilitate therapeutic change. By identifying central themes that operate at the individual, dyadic, triadic, whole family, inter-generational, and sociocultural levels, the therapist is able to develop effective interview questions and design useful interventions. In this method, behavioral symptoms are framed as a current manifestation of an overarching theme. This orientation enables family and therapist to de-pathologize symptoms and work collaboratively toward change. Case examples from a wide variety of families with differing presenting problems, interactional patterns, three-generational histories, and cultural backgrounds, illustrate the efficacy of the method.     

Genograms: Use in Therapy with Asian Families with Diverse Cultural Heritages

This article focuses on the ways in which genograms can be an effective psychosocial tool for use with Asian families of diverse cultural heritages. Using the case examples of Asians from three countries, viz., Malaysia, Japan, and Cambodia, the authors delineate salient therapeutic themes and map changes from a transgenerational perspective with attention to socio-cultural and political processes. An anthropological stance (Becvar, Contemp Fam Ther 30:1–2, 2008) allows a therapist to be curious about Asian family and kinship systems and join with the family in creating a new narrative that broadens spaces for living. Drawing upon surveys from three training contexts, the voices of Asian mental health practitioners, suggesting culture specific issues for the effective use of genograms with Asian families, are included.     

Coparenting Experiences in African American Families: An Examination of Single Mothers and their Nonmarital Coparents

African American youth from single‐mother homes continue to be overrepresented in statistics on risk behavior and delinquency, a trend that many be attributed to father‐absence, socioeconomic disadvantage, and compromises in parenting more typical of single than two‐parent families. Yet, this risk‐focused perspective ignores a long‐standing strength of the African American community, the involvement and potential protective impact of extended family members in childrearing. This study describes the experiences of 95 African American single mothers and their nonmarital coparents who participated in a study of African American single‐mother families with an 11–16‐year‐old child. Specifically, the study examines: (a) the extent to which nonmarital coparents are involved in childrearing; (b) the relative levels of risk (i.e., depression, mother–coparent conflict) and protective (i.e., parenting) associated with maternal and coparent involvement; and (c) how similarly and/or differently coparent and mother variables operate with regard to youth externalizing problems. Findings reveal that a range of family members and other adults actively participate in childrearing in African American single‐mother families, coparents do not differ from mothers on certain study variables (i.e., depression and mother–coparent conflict) but do for others (parenting), and coparent involvement is associated with youth adjustment in ways that are similar to our more established understanding of maternal involvement. The potential clinical implications of the findings are discussed and future research directions are highlighted.     

Constructing Cultural Competence: Perspectives of Family Therapists Working with Latino Families

This article focuses on developing an understanding of how nine therapists working with Latino families construct the idea of cultural competence in the counseling room. In-depth interviews were conducted and analyzed yielding five themes in cultural competence from the therapists' perspectives: the use of language in therapy; the impact of social class, gender, and power on the therapeutic relationship; immigration and culture clash; definitions of family; and unique constructions of cultural competence. The therapists'narratives in this study are best understood through a postmodern paradigm suggesting that the field of psychotherapy needs to move beyond a “checklist” modernistic approach to developing cultural competency.     

Interpersonal Psychotherapy—Adolescent Skills Training With Youth From Asian American and Immigrant Families: Cultural Considerations and Intervention Process

Although research has identified effective evidence-based depression prevention interventions for diverse youth, little is known about how the intervention process unfolds with immigrant family youth. This study utilized a qualitative approach to explore cultural and clinical differences in the implementation of Interpersonal Psychotherapy–Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST) in two schools, one serving youth from primarily immigrant, Asian American families and the second, youth from mostly nonimmigrant, non-Hispanic White families. A total of 131 IPT–AST sessions were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded for presence and patterns of cultural and clinical constructs. Results revealed that sessions with immigrant family youth were more likely to contain discussions of interpersonal problems characterized by estrangement, goals of spending time together with important others, mentions of emotion suppression and academic achievement expectations, conversations about acculturation, differences in value orientation, and discomfort with implementing new intervention skills. Dialogue from interventionist and youth exchanges is presented to illustrate how these themes emerged and were addressed by interventionists in a culturally responsive manner. The study highlights how IPT–AST with immigrant family and Asian American youth may unfold differently compared to youth from nonimmigrant families. Implications of findings for providers are discussed.     

Beyond “Lots of Hugs and Kisses”: Expressions of Parental Love From Parents and Their Young Children in Two‐Parent,Financially Stable Families

Given that parental love is essential for children's optimal development, the current study gathered examples of how parental love was demonstrated within parent–child relationships. Fifty‐eight two‐parent, financially stable families consisting of a mother, father, and young child (3–7 years old) from the Midwest were interviewed regarding how they demonstrated or perceived parental love. Results from an inductive thematic analysis revealed considerable variability in how parental love was demonstrated, with five themes emerging that overlapped between parents and their children: playing or doing activities together, demonstrating affection, creating structure, helping or supporting, and giving gifts or treats. Some gendered patterns among these themes were found with mothers emphasizing physical and verbal affection and fathers highlighting their more prominent role as playmates. The lay examples provided by parents and children in this exploratory study extend previous conceptualizations of parental love and underscore the importance of parents being attuned and responsive to the specific needs of their children.     

Treatment Expectations and Treatment Experience of Chinese Families Towards Family Therapy: appraisal of a common belief

This paper reports results of a qualitative study on family therapy conducted in Hong Kong, which aims to identify Chinese families' treatment expectations, delineate their subjective experience and the outcome in treatment. By comparing the expectations, the experience and the outcome, this study examines and challenges the belief that the practice of family therapy should necessarily be fundamentally adapted to be 'culture-specific', an assumption that has hitherto been untested and possibly based on overgeneralized cultural stereotyping. This study provides empirical evidence for family therapists who have interests in working with local and overseas Chinese families to improve their practice.     

The effects of different forms of two- and single-parent families on the well-being of their children in Dutch secondary education

The aim of this article is to compare the well-being of Dutch children living in different forms of single-parent families and different forms of two-parent families. We found that living in a mother-headed family caused by divorce has a negative influence on children's well-being. However, the effects we found were very small compared to the much larger effects of some other control variables, like parental education. Living in single-parent families or step-families caused by death have less negative effects on children than living in single-parent families or step-families caused by divorce. Our results give some support to the weak social position of the mother as an explanation for the negative effect of single parenthood, while the negative effects of living in a mother-headed family caused by death are larger than those of living in a father-headed family caused by death. Living in a single-parent family does not harm the well-being of boys more or less than that of girls living in the same family form. The negative effects of living in a single-mother family are not strengthened by the low educational level of the mother, nor are they neutralized by the high educational level of the mother. The effects we found in this continental European study are substantially smaller than those found in studies in the U.S.A.     

People Awakening: Collaborative Research to Develop Cultural Strategies for Prevention in Community Intervention

The consequences of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and suicide create immense health disparities among Alaska Native people. The People Awakening project is a long-term collaboration between Alaska Native (AN) communities and university researchers seeking to foster health equity through development of positive solutions to these disparities. These efforts initiated a research relationship that identified individual, family, and community protective factors from AUD and suicide. AN co-researchers next expressed interest in translating these findings into intervention. This led to development of a strengths-based community intervention that is the focus of the special issue. The intervention builds these protective factors to prevent AUD and suicide risk within AN youth, and their families and communities. This review provides a critical examination of existing literature and a brief history of work leading to the intervention research. These work efforts portray a shared commitment of university researchers and community members to function as co-researchers, and to conduct research in accord with local Yup’ik cultural values. This imperative allowed the team to navigate several tensions we locate in a convergence of historical and contemporary ecological contextual factors inherent in AN tribal communities with countervailing constraints imposed by Western science.