Module 7: Week 7: The Latino and Asian Populations
Overview
This module will consider the Latino populations. In addition, we will also review the Asian
populations.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
Analyze multicultural and pluralistic trends, including characteristics and concerns within
and among diverse groups in U.S. and international society at large.
Analyze the counselor’s role in: developing cultural self-awareness; promoting cultural
social justice, advocacy, and conflict resolution; and promoting other culturally supported
behaviors that emphasize optimal wellness and holistic growth.
Synthesize various counselor roles in eliminating biases, prejudices, and processes of
intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination into a professional practice
framework.
Compare your own cultural background, attitudes, beliefs, understandings, and
acculturative experiences with those of persons from other cultural groups.
Synthesize theories of multicultural counseling, identity development, and social justice
into a coherent, personal counseling perspective.
Latino Americans
I. What’s in a Name?
a. Hispanic
b. Latino
c. Mestizo
d. Latino is a safe starting point. Allow for client correction
II. Latino Demographics
a. Largest ethnic minority population (over 15%)
b. Young – average age is 11 years lower than Whites
c. Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, & Cubans comprise the largest groups of U.S. Latinos
III. Latino Demographics II
a. Emphasis on large families
b. Majority in metropolitan areas, but also “hidden” in more rural regions
c. Poverty issues
d. Immigrant males & “sending money to the family”
IV. Latino education
a. Language difficulties in schools
i. Bilingual education programs
1. Controversial
b. High school drop out rate is high as compared to both Blacks and Whites
c. Low college completion rates
d. Education crisis continues
i. Within group differences
V. Latino Values
a. Unity
b. Loyalty to the family and friends
c. Cooperation
d. Extended network of family and friends
i. Often includes godparents
e. Divorce less acceptable
VI. Latino Religious Values
a. Catholicism
b. Evangelical Protestantism
c. Folk religions
d. Syncretistic blends of the above
VII. Latino Treatment Issues
a. Language for treatment
b. Immigration status stressors
c. Loss of extended family network
d. Acculturation
e. Handling “lateness”
i. Home behavioral health a good treatment option
f. Questions about therapist’s personal background more common
VIII. Latino Treatment Issues II
a. The “Macho” male
i. Frequently deny feelings, illness, pain
ii. Strong need to be the “provider”
iii. Often willing to come in as a “consultant” but not as a patient
b. Marianismo a complementary role
c. The emancipated woman
IX. Latino Treatment Strategies
a. Clarify relationship with U.S. government and confidentiality, if appropriate
b. Activity level
i. Concrete & structured? Or inquisitive & making insight oriented
connections? Literature varies
ii. Acculturation & within group differences
iii. Clarify expectations re therapy
X. Latino Treatment Strategies II
a. Respect for therapist as an authority figure
b. Address poverty/employment issues
i. Referrals to appropriate social agencies
c. Consider family therapy
d. Treatment often expected to be short-term, crisis-oriented
Asian Americans
I. Asian Americans
a. 4% of U.S. population
b. Many are foreign born, recent immigrants
c. Generational acculturation issues
i. 1st generation parents vs teens, etc.
d. Perpetual foreigners no matter what generation?
i. Facial feature differences
e. Increased interracial marriages
II. Asian History in USA
a. The Japanese
i. Cheap labor in late 1890s till economic probs.
ii. Gentlemen’s agreement
iii. The Alien Land Law in 1913
iv. Incarceration of 110,000 Japanese during WWII
III. Lessons about Immigrants from Early Asian History
a. Terrorism adds a new variable
b. Open borders?
i. Philosophically appealing to some people, but practically dangerous
1. Terrorists would easily enter the U.S.
2. No controls would lead to a flood of immigration
3. U.S. culture and economy could not survive
IV. Refugee vs Immigrant Differences
a. Refugee status vs typical immigration
i. Example: Cambodians after war, Tsunami victims, Hurricane Katrina in
2005
b. War, civil unrest and natural disaster
i. Many witnessed murders/deaths & had to leave family members (PTSD
sxs common)
c. No time to prepare
d. Little control over their own fate
e. Often wait in camps under horrible conditions
V. Asian Model Minority
a. High overall levels of academic achievement & low delinquency rates
i. Subculture differences
b. Higher median income vs White population
i. Many live in high cost urban areas
ii. High business ownership rate
1. Often several wage earners in family
iii. Within group differences in SES
1. Ghettos & poor areas often hidden
VI. East Asian Traditional Values
a. Collectivistic worldview
b. Harmony in relationships
i. “noncompetitive” businesses in U.S.
c. Hierarchical relationships
i. Some change in younger generation
d. Deference to authority
e. Emotional restraint
f. Physical complaints are culturally accepted means of expressing emotional stress
VII. Traditional Asian American Family Characteristics
a. Patriarchal
i. Authority transferred from father to son
ii. Family roles rigidly defined
b. Extended Families
i. Resistant to change
ii. Conflict discouraged
iii. Emphasis on obedience to elders, obligation to family, conformity
c. Generational tensions?
VIII. Asian American Family Characteristics
a. “loss of face”
b. Encouragement to resolve problems within the family, rather than with therapy
i. Risk of losing face
IX. Asain Family Types
a. Within group differences in U.S.
i. Traditional
ii. Culture conflict
iii. Bicultural
iv. Americanized
v. New Millennium
1. Different Asian ethnicities (Chinese marrying a Korean)
2. Asian-non-Asian marriages
X. Asian Religions
a. Buddhism
b. Confucianism
i. A philosophy more than religion
c. Hinduism
d. Ancestor worship variants
e. Christianity
XI. Asian Communication Styles
a. High context forms of communication
i. Example: professors critiquing each other’s papers at a conference
b. High context communication leads to significant therapy implications
i. Homework assignments
XII. Underutilization of MH Treatment Resources
a. Loss of face for the family
b. Asian cultural stigmatization of seeking such services
c. Lack of culturally adapted MH services
d. Language matching issue?
e. Misconceptions about MH services
f. Alternative healing practices
i. Tai Chi, yoga, acupuncture, etc.
XIII. Asian Treatment Strategies I
a. Acculturation & R/C ID
b. Inter-group differences & within-group differences
c. Cultural mores against therapy
d. Tx. Frequently initiated around career, vocational, or academic issues
i. Often acculturation related
XIV. Asian Treatment Strategies II
a. Structured approach
