Cultural Influences on Family Functions

Theoretical Grounding There is no official theory associated with understanding culture…but there is a concept of cultural competence that leads practitioners to actively consider cultural influences in understanding and responding to family situations. Culture is central to family life; nevertheless it is often omitted from family counseling/therapy/interventions

Gathering Cultural Knowledge---A REAL CHALLENGE!! First, you must acquire knowledge about a culture. But, this gathering of information can result in stereotyping because info sources provide commonly shared traits… Second, one must temper the acquired knowledge with an appreciation of diversity within the cultural group. Third, family practitioners must apply their cultural knowledge to theoretical frameworks and understandings of what is “normal.”

Culture and Parenting Parenting functions vary considerably depending on cultural influences! Most family practitioners observe differences in discipline strategies and nurturing across cultural groups. When working with family systems, it is important to understand the shifting emphasis and mechanisms of socialization within various cultures.

Cultural Influences on Discipline Functions Discipline functions are instrumental in helping children learn and internalize the rules of living. Two cultural dimensions that influence the disciplinary functioning of parents –Abstract mindedness –Sanctioning systems

Abstract Mindedness Inherent in every culture, there is a continuum of concreteness. Some cultures are very concrete in how they understand the world. For instance, agrarian cultures work closely with the land and tend to be very concrete. A culture’s concreteness may also be indicated by how its people understand rules and sanctions. Concrete cultures often have a rigid adherence to a religious dogma. On the other hand, some cultures are very abstract and make sense out of events and situations by creating mental frameworks and stories

Abstract Mindedness Cultures with high levels of abstraction are often permissive, allowing children to experience life and learn from their experiences. Concrete cultures tend to be more controlling of children’s behavior and often insist on compliance to rules.

Systems of Sanctioning Cultures contain permission for different types of punishment and disciplinary behaviors. Cultural systems of of sanctioning influence the disciplinary acts taken by parents. Some cultures sanction behavior through resources (e.g., dowries, inheritances), through relationships (e.g., disowning, ostracizing), and some through corporal punishment (e.g., caning, killing, excessive spanking). Although most discipline occurs in the middle range of benign to malevolent, it is important that any strategy can range from potentially helpful to potentially harmful.

Cultural Influences on Guidance Functions How does parent interpret and explain cultural differences? Parents must explain to their children the relationship between the family culture and the dominant culture. Values and religious influences of the cultural group.

Experience of Difference When a cultural group is visibly, socially, or economically different from the dominant culture, the difference is obvious. Parents must help children interpret and make sense of the differences. The message the child receives about the meaning of difference shapes the way the child approaches the dominant cultural group. Differences can lead to stigma, anger among members of nondominant cultures, hopelessness and powerlessness. It is difficult for many parents to find positive frameworks for understanding differences of race, poverty and economic oppression.

Values and Religion Parents’ cultural values and beliefs influence their guidance themes and priorities. As such, the values-based institutions that most strongly influence child socialization will have a cultural base.

Cultural Influences on Nurturing Functions Collectivism vs. Individualism Roles and expectations

Collectivism vs. Individualism Some cultures have high levels of obligation to the collective group, whereas others tend to be very individualistic. Collectivism: higher value on the social group; collaboration and harmony are more highly valued. Individual success is often not present, because success is measured by the conditions of the group. Collectivist families acquiesce to the larger group when making decisions. Self-concepts are heavily influenced by the obligations and attitudes of others within the family. Parents will help children respond to the needs and obligations of the larger group. Expressed needs of children may be unheeded or even responded to with discipline to shape the expression of needs.

Individualistic People highly value individual achievement. –Parents frequently cater to the expressed needs of children by providing stimulation, toys, and nurturing upon demand. –Parents identify their child’s unique qualities and abilities and hone them so the child can excel in future endeavors. –Getting children into the best schools and the best teams is frequently a concern as parents nurture each child’s exceptional talents. –Parents tend not to focus on the greater needs of the social group and how the child should adapt to those collective needs.

Roles and Expectations Culture heavily influences social, family, and gender roles through culturally determined expectations of how such roles should be performed. Every culture has a model of the ideal family!!! Culturally bound role expectations of family members influence nurturing functions in the family. In some cultures, males do very little nurturing but they may remain the ultimate authority when discipline is applied. In other cultures, tasks within the home are more evenly distributed.

Cultural Influences on Accessibility Systems of Support. Cultures provide varied systems of support. Some cultures promote kinship as the first level of support (and other informal supports). Others, use more formal supports (e.g., agencies, schools). In cultures where formal supports are the norm, there is much less informal support and children may have fewer accessible adults. Cultures that rely solely on informal supports may rely on inadequate supports rather than face the stigma of using societal support systems.

Social and Economic Resources Every family has minimum resource requirements for meeting personal and family goals. Culture affects these minimum requirements in two ways –1. Some cultures encourage families to exceed the minimum requirements by placing high value on accumulated wealth –2. Differential access to resources. Members of a family may have to work extra hours just to achieve the minimum resource level.

Social and Economic Resources If a family has sufficient resources, access functions are enhanced; extra time and resources are available to the family. Families with compromised access to resources often have multiple family members working outside the home, access is oftentimes diminished. The level of energy used to meet the family’s basic needs limits the family options.

Work With Invisible Cultures Two invisible cultures in the U.S. are gay and lesbian families and families identified from fundamental or conservative religions. These two groups differ from the mainstream groups and have histories of being misunderstood. Both cultural groups raise children and live in family units.