1. Cultural Issues Shape potential risk and protective factors
Influence the meaning of life events and ways to respond

2. Relational Perspective
An emphasis on harmony and the interdependence of the relationships that include the mind, body, and spirit
Influences the appraisal of life events, the nature of family relationships and problem solving
Strong family bonds, including extended family, represent a moderating factor of risk

3. Family welcoming a new member to the circle

4. Latino Families
Composed of members of a wide range of ethnic and racial groups
Largest “minority” group in the US
Smaller numbers in Canada with larger proportion from Jamaica followed by Haiti

5. Social context 48% born in current country
Major US group by numbers: Mexican, South/Central American countries, Puerto Rican, Cuban
Intermarriage increasingly common
Living throughout the US
Diverse immigration patterns

6. External Social and Economic Factors
Poverty and discrimination important risk factors for many families (varies by group)
Many work in low paying jobs
Recent economic problems increased vulnerability (26.6% poverty rate)
Home values down, unemployment up
Possible Trauma in home country
Demands for more border protection, reduction in access to services

7. Latino External and Contextual
Lack of access to culturally appropriate health care and low levels of health care insurance
Increasing rates of diabetes and HIV/AIDS
Substance abuse issues-especially with acculturation

8. External and Cultural Support for Latinos
Protective represented by supportive mentors and support for education
Educational programs drawing on the community strength
Religious community source of support
Traditional spiritual healers helpful
Community of other members of ethnic group provides support and services

9. Extended family Central to family life—can include several generations
“familiso” Emphasis on collective
God parents important
Value of family rituals
“Personalismo” high level of personal involvement
Value of family honor
Family, church first circle of help

10. Family organization Influence of acculturation on family unit
Tend to be hierarchical –respect parents
“Marianismo” importance of mother hood, mother’s devotion to family, -can create burden of responsibility
“Machismo” father’s authority, responsibility
Strong sibling ties, older with responsibilities

11. Family organization
Communication organized to maintain harmony, affectionate, positive affirmations
Public communication-politeness, agreement
Indirectness to deal with anger,
Humor to deal with tension
“Personalismo” warm personal relationships with those outside the family circle
Parent support for education important

12. Latino individuals Balance between familial and private self
Value of spirituality
Important role of education in terms of economic situation and poverty risk
Older Latinos risk for poverty
New immigrants frequently healthier
Tend to be optimistic for the future
English language facility valuable resource
Biculturalism can be useful

13. Jamaican families Largest Caribbean group in Canada
English language advantage
Education viewed as important
Tend to work in lower income professions
Hopeful for the future
Family and extended family important
Family members can be of many hues

14. African American Community
Protective role religious community
Schools that promote child’s competency and are viewed as supportive by children and family

15. Extended family, friends
Importance of extended family (unless becomes overwhelmed or makes parents feel inadequate or creates role confusion)
Role of “fictive kin”

16. Family Organization
Value of role flexibility Parenting protective traits: affection, firm parental control, vigilant parenting, effective communication Community influences nature of monitoring required Positive family relations promote child’s engagement in education Parental conflict reduces positive parenting (exacerbated by economic distress) High rates of female headed households contributes to poverty risk

18. African American Families
Importance of adequate economic situation but many are challenged by under and unemployment
Hit particularly hard by recent recession
Poverty increases risk of living in dangerous neighborhoods
Racism, discrimination contribute to poverty
HIV/AIDS challenge

19. African American Individuals
Protective—(also general protective factors)
Low parental substance abuse
Self-esteem of parents helps self-regulation of youth
Religious beliefs and practices
Higher levels of education

20. Asian American Families
A wide variety of national origins with differing histories and immigration patterns
Majority are first generation due to recent immigration patterns

21. Asian American External/ Economic
Possible major trauma in family’s history
Wide variety in income levels
Potential racial discrimination in community
Youth may join anti social peers for protection, acceptance
English language skills valuable
Protective role of community that supports culture

22. Asian American Extended Family
Extended family of present and past important
Expectations to contribute to family circle
Youth have obligations to older generation
Older generation role of cultural transmission
Familial obligation to earlier generation diminishes with time
Economic stress viewed as less problematic for immigrant Asian families—able to enlist broad family resources

23. Asian American Family Organization
Families tend to be hierarchical
Parents expected to give sacrificially while youth expected to meet family obligations
Family loyalty and respect important
Importance of bringing honor, not shame to family

24. Asian American Family Members
Acculturation both a potential risk and protection
Bicultural orientation protective
Risk of feeling marginalized
Ability to bring honor to family protective, stress if one cannot do so
Spirituality and religion valuable
(types vary widely)

25. First Nations/Aboriginal People
Wide range of national groups in US and Canada with unique culture and heritage
Importance of relational perspective

26. First Nations External/Social
Heritage of oppression and cultural devaluation
Continuing problem in current cultural messages
Shadows of historical trauma
Discrimination
High suicide rates –related to cultural context of lack of empowerment
Severe poverty in many communities—high unemployment
Lack of adequate housing and culturally appropriate health programs
High rates of incarceration in some communities
Health problems of substance abuse, diabetes

27. First Nation Context-Protective
Valuable role of traditional healers
Importance of national/tribal identity—give structure and meaning
Role of elders important resource
Churches and social groups resources
Culturally grounded services that promote community health valuable

28. First Nations Extended Family
Important role of extended family and clans—sense of identify and resource
Tensions can occur with different degrees of acculturation
Lakota concepts –
“Tiosaye” collection of related families bound by blood
“Hunka” tradition adoption ceremony creating ties more sacred than blood ties
Folk teaching

29. First Nations Family Patterns vary widely among nations
History of forced separations has created ongoing problems for some families
Family stories and rituals valuable
Indirect communication and silence indicate respect

30. First Nations Individuals
Resources of faith, prayer, meditation, healing ceremonies
Spirituality valuable (but has been devalued historically)
Pride in one’s cultural heritage and self-esteem valuable

31. Military Families Relocation- children learn adaptive skills
frequent moves can be difficult for spouse—requires commitment to military as a life style
military community important resource for moves

32. Military Families : Deployment
Represents a stressful times for military families—the reality of uncertainty, absence, and potential danger
Distress on the part of teenagers-worry, loss of parent on daily basis, anger, sadness, isolation, fear
Positive feelings associated with pride in parent’s actions
Spouse also at risk for depression, anxiety

33. Deployment con”t Length and number of deployments increases the risk
Distress also created by economic problems, lack of supportive community, and media portrayals

34. Military Families: Deployment
Further stress created by family communication problems, problems in family leadership, pregnancy of caregiver
Substance abuse and depression of military member
Sexual assault in military
Physical wounds (including brain injuries)
Post traumatic stress
Suicide risk
Culture of not seeking help (seeking to change)

35. Military Families:Deployment
Protective factors
Adequate social and community support
Family characteristics-coping, communication, strong marital bond, good parent-child relationships, role flexibility
Belief systems that supports the military way of life
Parent’s ability to cope important in helping children cope
Ability to have ongoing communication

36. Military Families: Reunification
Relief, joy, strain
Family members have changed—need to adapt
Soldiers return with injuries, ptsd,
Trauma and secondary trauma
Protective: encouragement to use services
family hardiness—sense of control
Ambiguous—missing in action—very difficult for families
List of community and service related resources (book)

37. Rural Families
Great diversity in terms of location, type of rural work
Importance of community institutions
churches and schools valuable
formal services can be difficult to access
Nuclear families with a sense of obligation to wider family
family source of support and pressure
Family patterns –value of role flexibility to cope
Sense of family loyalty and obligation by youth
Youth gained sense of work and organization skills by helping
Value of academic success for youth