Economic stress, parenting, and child adjustment in Mexican American and European American families

To assess the impact of economic hardship on 111 European American and 167 Mexican American families and their 5th-grade (M age=11.4 years) children, a family stress model was evaluated. Structural equation analyses revealed that economic hardship was linked to indexes of economic pressure that were related to depressive symptoms for mothers and fathers of both ethnicities. Depressive symptoms were linked to marital problems and hostile parenting. Paternal hostile parenting was related to child adjustment problems for European Americans, whereas marital problems were linked to child adjustment problems for Mexican Americans. Maternal acculturation was associated with both higher marital problems and lower hostile parenting. The utility of the model for describing the effects of economic hardship in Mexican Americans is noted.     

The role of acculturation in explaining ethnic differences in the prenatal health-risk behaviors, mental health, and parenting beliefs of Mexican American and European American at-risk women

OBJECTIVE: To assess: (1) ethnic differences in the health-risk behaviors, mental health problems, and adverse parenting beliefs during pregnancy of low-income Mexican American and European American women; and, (2) the extent to which these risks varied with levels of acculturation among low-income Mexican American women. METHOD: Participants were 594 primiparous, low-income, urban women. A cross-sectional design was used to compare the 331 Mexican American women to the 263 European American. Language was used to assess the level of acculturation of the Mexican American women. Interviews were used to evaluate health-risk behaviors, mental health problems, and adverse parenting beliefs. RESULTS: In comparison to European American women, Mexican American women were at lower risk for cigarette smoking during pregnancy and higher risk for adverse parenting beliefs. Among Mexican American women, Spanish speakers were at lower risk for cigarette smoking and mental health problems during pregnancy, and higher risk for adverse parenting beliefs than bilingual and English speakers. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that ethnic differences in cigarette smoking and parenting beliefs during pregnancy were concentrated on the less acculturated, low-income, and primarily unmarried Spanish speaking Mexican American women. Moreover, acculturation is differentially related to cigarette smoking and parenting beliefs. Therefore, acculturation needs to be considered in the development of preventive interventions in order to appropriately target the specific needs of different sub-populations of Mexican Americans.     

Disclosure to Parents About Everyday Activities Among American Adolescents From Mexican, Chinese, and European Backgrounds

Disclosure to parents and reasons for not disclosing different activities were examined in 489 Chinese, Mexican, and European American adolescents ( M  =   16.37 years, SD  =   0.77). With generational status controlled, Chinese American adolescents disclosed less to mothers about personal and multifaceted activities than European Americans and less about personal feelings than other youth, primarily because these acts were considered personal, not harmful, or because parents would not listen or understand. Disclosure regarding prudential behavior was lower among Mexican American than among European American adolescents, primarily due to concerns with parental disapproval. Multigroup path analyses indicated that greater closeness to parents is associated with more disclosure for all youth and activities; associations between family obligation and disclosure varied by domain and ethnicity.     

Racial identity,maternal support,and psychological distress among African American adolescents

This study investigated the role of racial identity and maternal support in reducing psychological distress among African American adolescents. Both direct and indirect influences of multiple dimensions of racial identity (i.e., centrality, private regard) and maternal support on perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety were examined among 521 African American twelfth graders. Findings indicated that maternal support was positively related to both centrality and private regard. Results provided little support for a direct association between racial identity or maternal support and depressive symptoms and anxiety within a multivariate context. Rather, the influences of racial identity attitudes and maternal support on these mental health outcomes were mediated by perceived stress. Further, the two racial identity attitudes were associated with perceived stress in different ways. Study findings suggest that the significance and meaning that African American adolescents attribute to being Black may be critical to their psychological well-being, and that maternal support and perceived stress are important considerations.     

Challenging the Stereotypes of Mexican American Fathers

This critical review presents studies of Mexican American fathers in the United Sates to provide researchers with an understanding of contemporary fatherhood. It describes the myths that cause methodological and conceptual problems in interpreting the results of studies on Mexican American fathers. Several common challenges and limitations in those studies are identified and discussed, such as conflicting cultural perceptions, traditional and contemporary perceptions, and social stereotyping of the Mexican American fathers’ family roles. This review also provides guidelines for future research and practical applications on Mexican American fathers’ involvement in their children’s education. In doing this, it contributes to an emerging understanding of the complexity of Mexican American fathering.     

Interobserver Agreement in the Assessment of Parental Behavior and Parent-Adolescent Conflict: African American Mothers, Daughters, and Independent Observers

Agreement between 57 African American mothers and their early adolescent daughters on measures of maternal support, maternal restrictive control, and parent-adolescent conflict were examined. To assess the relative validity of these reports, the study then evaluated them against the ratings of independent observers. Additionally, mother and daughter reports were combined to examine validity coefficients based on aggregate scores of each construct. All analyses were based on 2 sets of objective criterion ratings, ratings provided by coders of similar ethnic background (African American) and coders who were ethnically dissimilar (non-African American) to the families they rated. Overall, adolescents provided ratings that were more valid than those of their mothers when evaluated against both sets of independent ratings. Adolescent ratings of maternal control and parent-adolescent conflict converged at significantly higher levels than the ratings provided by their mothers. Maternal and adolescent reports of maternal support converged with objective criteria at statistically comparable levels. Validity coefficients for adolescent reports were also higher than those based on aggregate mother-daughter scores. Secondary analyses further revealed that African American coders rated mothers as less controlling and rated the dyadic interactions as less conflictual, and that their ratings were more consistent with the perceptions of the African American mothers and adolescents than were those provided by non-African American coders.     

Self-Efficacies,Anxiety, and Aggression among African American and Latino Adolescents with Disabilities

Self-appraisals can combine with aspects of the school environment in predicting adolescent emotions and behaviors. This study examined how academic self-efficacy and social self-efficacy are related to anxiety and aggression, and how these relations are moderated by school stressors, academic achievement, and school belonging. The participants of the study were African American and Latino adolescents with an intellectual disability and/or a physical disability. Self-report surveys were completed by 98 adolescents. Regression analyses revealed that higher levels of both self-efficacies were associated with lower levels of anxiety, but these relations were reduced as school stressors increased. Also, high academic self-efficacy was associated with more aggression when academic achievement was low, and high social self-efficacy was associated with more aggression when school belonging was low. The findings have implications for the development of self-efficacy and for the management of adolescent anxiety and aggression.     

WISC-R factor structures among White,Mexican American,and African American children: A research note

The factor structure for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) was investigated for White (n = 183), Mexican American (n = 129), and African American (n = 139) nonreferred school-age children (6.8 to 14.6 years) of low-to middle-class socioeconomic background. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. The WISC-R factor structure model tested was Kaufman's (1975) three-factor solution that consisted of Verbal Comprehension (VC, Factor 1), Perceptual Organization (PO, Factor 2), and Freedom from Distractibility (FD, Factor 3). The results of the exploratory analyses showed Kaufman's three-factor solution for the three ethnic groups, but the order of Factor 2 and Factor 3 was reversed for the Mexican American and African American samples—thus raising questions about the comparability of the WISC-R factor structure across groups. The confirmatory analyses, which used the orthogonal nested factors approach by Gustafsson and Balke (1993), resulted in a model (for each of the ethnic groups) in which a G factor explained most of the variance (followed by the nested first-order factors—VC, PO, and FD). The results of the confirmatory analyses provide some support for David Wechsler's (1974) original intentions that the WISC-R structure is best described as having a general, or global, factor. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

K-ABC content bias: Comparisons between Mexican American and White children

Content (item) bias on the Mental Processing Scales and the Achievement Scale of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) was investigated with 100 Mexican American and 100 White fifth- and sixth-grade boys and girls. All children were English-speaking and from similar socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. An item-group (partial correlation) method that controlled for age, sex, and ability was used to examine bias. On the Mental Processing Scales, 17 (14%) of 120 items were found to be biased—the strong majority against the Mexican American children. On the Achievement Scale, it was observed that 58 (63%) of 92 K-ABC items were biased—all against the Mexican American sample. This latter finding is discussed in the context of possible differences in learning opportunities (language based, SES based, and school segregation) experienced by the two ethnic groups.     

Networks for Success: Preparing Mexican American AVID College Students for Credentials,Completion, and the Workforce

This qualitative study examines how Mexican American students participating in an AVID for Higher Education course perceived their preparation for the workforce and efficacy of completing a college credential. A focus group approach was used to explore how social and cultural networks (networks for success) contribute to college completion. The study is guided by the theoretical framework of building social networks through the availability and reception of social capital. Findings include Mexican American students’ efficacious beliefs of how networks for success assist in their persistence toward college graduation and entry into the workforce. Major themes are college success and social/cultural capital.     

Career Development Tasks of Mexican American Adolescents: An Exploratory Study

This interview-based study explored the extent to which four academically successful Mexican American adolescents were engaged in age appropriate career development tasks as suggested by Super's (1957, 1984) theory. It also explored the adolescent's understanding of the role that ethnicity played in their career related behaviors. Findings suggest that these Hispanic adolescents were engaged in age appropriate tasks according to Super's theory and that both family and ethnic related factors were relevant to their career development.     

Voices from Mexico: How American Teachers can Meet the Needs of Mexican Immigrant Students

In this study 18 Mexican teachers of English as a foreign language in Guanajuato, Mexico were asked for their professional opinion about the teaching of English to Mexican immigrant students in the U.S. Teachers responded to a questionnaire that asked about attitudes toward the U.S. educational system, ways to support Mexican immigrant students, advice for American teachers, and Mexican students’ motivation for learning English. Respondents averaged 4 years of teaching English at various levels ranging from elementary to university. Half of the teachers had received some K-12 education in the U.S. Respondents held generally positive views regarding the U.S. educational system, but felt American teachers could do a better job in teaching Mexican immigrant students. They offered numerous linguistic and culturally responsive suggestions for improving upon the learning of English and the academic performance of immigrant students.     

The cultural impact on depression expression and attitudes toward seeking professional help: A comparative study of Americans and South Koreans

This study explored whether, and how, ethnicity and individualism-collectivism are related to depression symptomatology and attitudes toward seeking professional help using a comparison of university students in the United States and South Korea. Eighty eight American college students and 95 South Korean college students participated in the study. Canonical correlation analyses revealed that low ratings on vertical individualism in American culture are related to more positive attitudes toward seeking professional help. On the basis of these findings some tentative counseling implications are considered and directions for future research are proposed.     

Filipino and American student perceptions of teacher effectiveness

Filipino and American undergraduate students rated college instructor characteristics according to their perceived importance for effective teaching. Items were selected to reflect relevant value orientations in Filipino and American cultures. Factor analysis of the ratings revealed six underlying dimensions. MANOVA results showed that the group ratings on the six corresponding subscales were significantly different. Discriminant function analysis revealed that Filipino students rated items pertaining to authoritarianism and personal appearance of the instructor as significantly more important for effective teaching than did American students. This suggests that cross-cultural differences in perceptions of effective teaching may be predictable from a knowledge of both similar and conflicting value orientations in the specific cultures. Implications for the academic adjustment of students from different cultures were discussed.     

Help-Seeking Experiences and Attitudes among African American, Asian American, and European American College Students

The study examined African American, Asian American, and European American college students’ previous direct and indirect experiences of seeking professional psychological services and related attitudes. Survey data were collected from 254 European American, 182 African American and 82 Asian American college students. Results revealed that fewer African American and Asian American college students had sought professional psychological services, knew someone who had sought psychological services, and knew a close person who was diagnosed with a psychological disorder, relative to European American students. Furthermore, African American and Asian American participants showed less favorable attitudes on a variety of help-seeking attitudes, compared to the European American group.     

Dolores Huerta,the United Farm Workers,and people power: Rhetorical participation in Latina/o/x suffrage and social movements

ABSTRACT

Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union, was and still is involved in a number of social justice causes, including voter participation. Since her days working at the Community Service Organization in the 1950s, she has long advocated for registering and organizing voters as part of a broader strategy to enfranchise Mexican, Mexican American, and other historically marginalized groups. This essay explores a few brief examples of her calls to get out the vote and participate in social movements more broadly to address the deep-seated problems of “citizenship excess” that face Mexican, Mexican American, and other immigrant communities (as well as many others) in the United States. In addition, Huerta has strongly advocated for “people power” as a way to get marginalized people into activism, especially those with intersectional identities related to race, ethnicity, gender, class standing, sexuality, and political orientations.     

Maternal intrusiveness, maternal warmth, and mother-toddler relationship outcomes: variations across low-income ethnic and acculturation groups

The present study investigated the extent to which maternal intrusiveness and warmth during play, observed in 579 European American, 412 African American, and 110 more and 131 less acculturated Mexican American low-income families when children were approximately 15 months old, predicted 3 dimensions of the mother-toddler relationship 10 months later. Intrusiveness predicted increases in later child negativity in all 4 groups. Among African Americans only, this association was moderated by maternal warmth. Intrusiveness predicted negative change in child engagement with mothers only in European American families. Finally, near-significant trends suggested that intrusiveness predicted later decreased dyadic mutuality in European American and more acculturated Mexican American families, but not in African American or less acculturated Mexican American families.     

Attitudes toward Family Obligations among American Adolescents with Asian, Latin American, and European Backgrounds

This study was designed to examine the attitudes toward family obligations among over 800 American tenth ( M age = 15.7 years) and twelfth ( M age = 17.7 years) grade students from Filipino, Chinese, Mexican, Central and South American, and European backgrounds. Asian and Latin American adolescents possessed stronger values and greater expectations regarding their duty to assist, respect, and support their families than their peers with European backgrounds. These differences tended to be large and were consistent across the youths' generation, gender, family composition, and socioeconomic background. Whereas an emphasis on family obligations tended to be associated with more positive family and peer relationships and academic motivation, adolescents who indicated the strongest endorsement of their obligations tended to receive school grades just as low as or even lower than those with the weakest endorsement. There was no evidence, however, that the ethnic variations in attitudes produced meaningful group differences in the adolescents' development. These findings suggest that even within a society that emphasizes adolescent autonomy and independence, youths from families with collectivistic traditions retain their parents' familistic values and that these values do not have a negative impact upon their development.     

Mexican American Women Pursuing Counselor Education Doctorates: A Narrative Inquiry

The authors used narrative inquiry and Anzaldúa's ( 1999 ) bordlerlands theory to understand the cultural experiences of 5 Mexican American women in doctoral programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Results indicated that participants navigated multiple cultural spheres and that the doctoral program culture affected their professional identity. Implications for counselor education include engaging Mexican American women in academic activities congruent with their ethnic identities.     

美国电影文化传输与影视文化教学思辨

美国电影作为美国传输其文化和价值观的重要手段和策略,对中国学生了解美国社会文化具有重要作用,同时也存在帝国霸道文化的负面影响。影视课教师不仅应该对具有文化内涵的词汇进行讲解,加深学生对文化的理解,重视影视材料中语言及其文化使用的社会环境,挖掘语言文化的社会意义,更应重视其作为软实力对学生的影响,从而做好正确的文化输入。