Family structure and family processes in Mexican-American families

Despite increases in single-parent families among Mexican Americans, few studies have examined the association of family structure and family adjustment. Utilizing a diverse sample of 738 Mexican-American families (21.7% single parent), the current study examined differences across family structure on early adolescent outcomes, family functioning, and parent-child relationship variables. Results revealed that early adolescents in single-parent families reported greater school misconduct, conduct disorder/oppositional deviant disorder, and major depressive disorder symptoms, and greater parent-child conflict than their counterparts in 2-parent families. Single-parent mothers reported greater economic hardship, depression, and family stress. Family stress and parent-child conflict emerged as significant mediators of the association between family structure and early adolescent outcomes, suggesting important processes linking Mexican-American single-parent families and adolescent adjustment.     

Language strategies in mixed nationality families

The literature has indicated that the way in which a bilingual child learns his two languages may influence cognitive and language development. Twenty Swedish–English-speaking families (including 18 children) were interviewed with regard to the types of strategies used in raising the child bilingually. The children were also given a short word recognition test in both languages. Four main strategies were observed, differing with regard to whether the languages had been introduced simultaneously or consecutively and whether the sources of the languages had been distinct or mixed. The paper discusses the families' selection and evaluation of strategy as well as the role of strategy in influencing degree of bilingualism as seen from the literature as well as from the present results.     

Therapeutic approaches to families of young Israeli soldiers

This paper presents a set of family interventions performed in a civilian psychiatric unit with patients who were young Israeli soldiers. The work was done with a psychoanalytic orientation coupled with special attention to the general cultural characteristics of the surrounding society as well as to the particular ones of the families themselves. An experience of group therapy with the soldiers' parents will also be described in detail.     

"Therapeutic families" as an extension of residential treatment for adolescents

High costs of traditional residential treatment forces extensions of the philosophy. "Therapeutic families" is a reworking of the foster family concept. Being part of a network of treatment services, and an extension of the residential treatment center, it makes for shorter stays in the more intensive treatment facility. The philosophical concept and clinical plan are presented.     

Intensive specialised multi-family therapy for multi-stressed families: Therapeutic alliance as predictor for effectiveness

The effectiveness of intense specialised multi-family therapy (ISMFT) for 111 multi-stressed families, and the therapeutic alliance as a possible predictor of outcome, were examined. A repeated measures design was used, where changes in all ISMFT phases (preparation, multi-family therapy and follow-up) were assessed and compared for both mothers and fathers. Evidence was found for improved family functioning after the therapy period, which was maintained at 3 months follow-up, although the multi-stressed families still functioned in the problematic range. The therapy did however not decrease parenting stress, or did so only temporarily. Observations of the therapeutic alliance with the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances (SOFTA) scales indicated that high therapist engagement was related to positive therapy outcomes, both at the start of therapy and later. High family engagement also predicted therapy effectiveness, but only at the start of therapy. The present study shows that solution-focused multi-family therapy at least seems to provide the first step in alleviating problems in multi-stressed families.     

Perception of parental socialization strategies in adoptive and non-adoptive families

Although parental socialization styles have been investigated in recent years, little research has been carried out on the issue of parental styles in adoptive families. The aim of this research is to analyse parental styles both from the point of view of the parents and of adopted and non-adopted adolescents, taking as covariables the adolescents' sex and age. The sample was made up of 55 adopted adolescents (20 boys and 35 girls with an age range of 11-17 years) and their 55 adoptive parents, and 402 non-adopted adolescents (200 boys and 202 girls with an age range of 11-17 years), and their 258 parents. Two scales evaluated parental styles: the Affect Scale and the Rules and Demands Scale. The results showed that, both from the point of view of the parents and of the adolescents, adoptive families are more affective, communicative and inductive, and less critical and indulgent than non-adoptive families. No differences were found between adopted and non-adopted adolescents on the Parents' Rigidity Scale.     

School-related problems of Mexican-American adolescents

An attempt is made to explain certain selected aspects of the school problems of some Mexican-American adolescents by an analysis of major cultural themes. The data presented suggest that for some Mexican-American adolescents, school has at least the following four meanings: (1) a place where teachers are frequently perceived and treated as authority figures similar to their fathers and, therefore, are targets of rebellion; (2) a place lacking strict external prhibition of encounters with the opposite sex; (3) a public arena of activity where one can bring honor or shame to one's family: and (4) an institution which expects participating individuals to value individual competition and success. Finally, these problems are discussed with respect to problems that Mexican-American female adolescents have in direct expression of anger.     

Identity conflict in Mexican-American adolescents

Mexican-American adolescents of migrant origin present conflicting attitudes in their selection of ideal characters and images for identification. As minority members, identification with members of outside groups appears blocked for them. At the same time, encounters with outside society seem to undermine identification processes that develop within their own group, their families, and community. This study concludes that relationships of dominance and dependence in the outside society foster inhibitions to the process of identification, and disturbances in the mechanisms of defense in the minority member. These relationships seem to interfere with the internalization and adoption of significant others' characteristics and attitudes.     

Anxiety Symptomatology in Mexican-American Adolescents

Mexican-American adults and adolescents in general have been reported to have high levels of anxiety symptomatology. In our study of a tri-ethnic sample of 2528 junior and senior high school students, the Youth Self Report (YSR) version of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and a sociodemographic questionnaire was used to assess the anxiety symptoms of Hispanic youth. We compared the ratings on anxiety symptoms, using Achenbach's anxiety subscale on the YSR, between two populations. The anxiety levels of youth in coastal southeast Texas (Galveston County) were compared to the anxiety levels of youth in the lower Rio Grande Valley. We found that Mexican-Americans of the Lower Rio Grande Valley scored higher on anxiety symptoms than the tri-ethnic population of Galveston County. Other factors associated with higher anxiety scores for Mexican-American youths included being born outside the US, linguistic fluency, father absent from the home, mother's education, and household size. Multiple regression analyses showed that socio-economic status (SES), family composition, and linguistic fluency had a greater relative impact on anxiety symptomatology than all other factors, both for the total sample as well as for the Mexican-American sample. These results parallel previous findings, with Mexican-American adults, which suggest either higher risk for anxiety symptomatology or a culturally related bias in the reporting of such symptoms.     

Mexican-American male batterers on the MCMI-III

This study examined personality characteristics of Mexican-American male batterers. 60 Mexican-American male batterers (M = 33.6 yr.) in the court system in South Texas took the MCMI-III and their MCMI-III scores were compared with the scores of a community sample of 45 Mexican-American individuals (M = 30.4 yr.). The batterers frequently scored higher than the nonbatterers on the Avoidant and Passive-Aggressive scales, while nonbatterers frequently scored higher on the Histrionic scale. The batterers scored significantly higher on 18 out of 24 MCMI-III scales, while nonbatterers scored significantly higher on two scales.     

Influences of Acculturation on Mexican-American Drinking Practices: Implications for Counseling

Literature on the drinking practices of Mexican Americans is discussed from the perspectives of three acculturation models: linear acculturation, acculturative stress, and marginality stress. Culturally competent alcohol counseling practices are proposed.     

Mexican-American High School Students: Educational Aspirations

Acculturation, academic achievement, and parental expectations were shown to predict the educational aspirations of Mexican-American high school students. Acculturation was also shown to mediate Mexican-American student's attitudes concerning the importance they placed on future job security and career success. Implications for counselors and educators are discussed.     

Behavior problems of anglo and Mexican-American children

The present investigation compared Anglo (N=1,999) and Mexican-American children (N=192) on the four factors of the Behavior Problem Checklist (BPCL). Teachers provided general information and BPCL ratings. The Anglo children manifested more problems on three of the factors than did the Mexican-American children. Significant interactions of grade, sex, and social class with ethnic group were revealed for two of the factors.The authors wish to thank Dr. John Bowser, superintendent of the Alief Independent School District, for his support, encouragement, and cooperation in this study. In addition, they express appreciation for the assistance rendered by Mrs. Dorothy Schreiner, secretary to the superintendent, and for participation of the principals and teachers.