Suchergebnisse

The American population is constantly evolving, as are its needs for family life education. We discuss how family life educators can address issues of diversity in developing and conducting programs for families. Domains for change are suggested in which educators can incorporate cultural competence in their daily work. Four general strategies are presented for extending programming to more audiences. Interwoven throughout are specific examples and recommendations for use by family life educators. We end with a diversity agenda for the future.

Responding to the needs of growing immigrant populations, many US social service sectors have recruited bilingual and bicultural practitioners, including immigrants. However, little is known about the immigrant social workers. This article explores the practice context of immigrant child welfare social workers in the United States. First, acculturation theory is applied to frame the experiences of US immigrants. Second, we explore professional development of practitioners working with immigrant families. Third, we discuss the intersectionality connecting immigration and social work professionalization. We conclude that the immigration and acculturation experiences of immigrant social workers are unique strengths for working with immigrant populations.

Abstract: Family life practitioners are increasingly being called upon to help families meet work‐life challenges. This article describes the grassroots beginnings, program development, and formative evaluation findings for 1 module of a Cooperative Extension work‐life management program. Although the curriculum module is based on theory and research, it emphasizes practical strategies. A total of 101 employed parents participated. An intervention group received the curriculum and materials, whereas a comparison group did not. Pretest and posttest comparisons provide initial support for the success of the curriculum in encouraging effective work‐life management practices among employed parents. Directions for further program revision and evaluation are discussed.

AbstractThis study used a mixed methodology to investigate reliability, validity, and analysis level with Chinese immigrant observational data. European‐American and Chinese coders quantitatively rated 755 minutes of Chinese immigrant parent–toddler dinner interactions on parental sensitivity, intrusiveness, detachment, negative affect, positive affect, and parents' confidence. They also gave qualitative coding rationales for their quantitative ratings. Analysis of quantitative ratings indicated systematic differences associated with coder ethnicity. Such differences could threaten the reliability between coders with different ethnicities. Analysis of qualitative rationales revealed different cultural links between concepts and behavior cues, which could challenge the cross‐cultural validity of a macro‐level coding system. When a coding system is incongruous with coders' cultural schemata, even after intensive training, the effect of culture cannot be eliminated. Implications of these findings for observational cultural research are discussed.

This study focuses on strengths and challenges of poor rural African American parents. Ninety‐two participants responded to semistructured interview questions about parenting, religiosity, and stress. Parents who are more religious reported using fewer coercive parenting strategies and experiencing fewer stressful life events. These findings are discussed in terms of practical implications for professionals who support rural African American families.

For older adults, social integration and the strength of social ties are profoundly important predictors of well-being and longevity. Can the physical environment be designed to promote older adults' social integration with their neighbors? We examined this possibility by testing the relationships between varying amount of exposure to green outdoor common spaces and the strength of ties among neighbors. Results of interviews with 91 older adults (between the ages of 64 and 91 years) from one inner-city neighborhood show that the use of green outdoor common spaces predicted both the strength of neighborhood social ties and sense of community. Although the strength of these relationships were modest, the findings suggest that the characteristics of outdoor common spaces can play a role in the formation and maintenance of social ties among older adult residents of inner-city neighborhoods. The results have implications for designers, managers, and residents of housing developments.

Immigrants from Latin America are increasingly settling in rural U.S. communities that welcome them as workers but are often unprepared to address their needs and promote their well‐being. Building on recent descriptive studies, we examined factors associated with individual and family well‐being in a sample of 112 immigrant Latina mothers (mean age 34.5 years, 93% Mexican) who completed in‐person interviews. Mothers who reported a more negative community climate reported lower levels of individual and family well‐being (life satisfaction, financial well‐being, and food security). Composite measures of economic and social capital were positively related to family well‐being; unexpectedly, mothers with higher levels of human capital reported lower levels of life satisfaction. Discussion focuses on implications of results for future research, theory‐building, and practice.

This study examined social support as a potential moderator between stress and depressive symptoms among Mexican university applicants aged 16–21 years (N = 6,715; M age = 17.9 years; 55% female). In bivariate analyses, perceived stress was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, and social support with lower levels of both stress and depression. Moderation analyses conducted using hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that global social support reduced the association between stress and depression. Analyses examining support from different sources (family, friends, and significant other) indicated that family support played a unique role in buffering the negative effects of stress. Findings are consistent with the stress‐buffering hypothesis and confirm the importance of the family as Mexican youth enter late adolescence.