Melanie M. Domenech Rodriguez

Cultural and Contextual Influences in Mental Health Help Seeking: A Focus on Ethnic Minority Youth

Ana Mari Cauce et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:25:08 PST

In this article, a mental health help-seeking model is offered as a framework for understanding cultural and contextual factors that affect ethnic minority adolescents' pathways into mental health services. The effects of culture and context are profound across the entire help-seeking pathway, from problem identification to choice of treatment providers. The authors argue that an understanding of these help-seeking pathways provides insights into ethnic group differences in mental health care utilization and that further research in this area is needed.

No Hay Rosas Sin Espinas: Conceptualizing Latina-Latina Supervision from a Multicultural Developmental Supervisory Model

Lynda D. Field et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:25:04 PST

Latina mental health professionals encounter many opportunities and challenges in professional settings. As Latinas increasingly enter the profession, we are now having our first opportunity to supervise another Latina. This opportunity is often greeted with great excitement and anticipation; however, it also presents unique professional challenges. These challenges often include, but are not limited to, the potential to blur boundaries in an unhealthy manner, idealization and then unmet expectations, overidentification, and cultural misunderstandings based on ethnic differences. Little has been written about Latina-Latina supervisory dyad relationships. Few Latina psychologists have had formal training in providing supervision to other Latinas and yet the future promises to increase these types of experiences. The authors developed a Multicultural Developmental Supervisory Model (MDSM) that integrates specific Latina/o multicultural counseling competencies and Latina/o ethnic identity theory, with developmental theories of supervision. The MDSM is designed to identify the complex processes that influence the supervision dyad in an effort to provide guidance and support to the supervisor and the supervisee as well as the institutions in which supervision takes place.

Parenting Interventions and Latino Families: Research Findings, Cultural Adaptations, and Future Directions

Luis H. Zayas et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:25:01 PST

The development of parenting and behavioral family interventions, and the documenting of their effectiveness in eliminating or decreasing the risk of conduct problems in children, has grown into a substantial literature (Brestan & Eyberg, 1998; Farmer, Compton, Burns, & Robertson, 2002; Kazdin & Weisz, 1998; Taylor & Biglan, 1998). Not surprisingly, the literature is much more advanced in knowledge about mainstream families. Some advances have been made in recent years pertaining to ethnic minority families. Three interventions, with robust findings and with samples of Latino families and children, are discussed in this chapter: The Incredible Years, developed by Carolyn Webster-Stratton; Parent Child Interaction Therapy, developed by Sheila Eyberg; and Parent Management Training, which represents the category of behaviorally based interventions directed at parents only and is most often associated with Marion Forgatch and her colleagues in Oregon and with Alan Kazdin and his colleagues. This chapter reviews these three interventions and their effectiveness with Latino children and families. To frame the discussion, we begin by discussing concepts and models for cultural adaptations to make interventions more accessible and acceptable to Latino parents. We then review the interventions and outcomes with Latino parents. We close with recommendations for future research and clinical practice.

Substance Use Prevention in Latino children

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:58 PST

Counseling with the Marginalized

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:56 PST

Primary Objective: To broaden the conceptualization of marginalization to go beyond the limited range of groups that currently receive clinical/research attention and to inform ethical practice in order to contribute to the clinical competence of mental health practitioners working with marginalized populations. Secondary Objectives: To present an approach to counseling people from marginalized groups; To highlight the particular flexibility needed when applying mainstream counseling techniques and skills to a population other than the one they were intended for.

Adolescent perceptions of underage drinkers in TV beer ads

Michael D. Slater et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:53 PST

Tests adolescents' perception of characters' ages in four television beer advertisements and examines correlational relationships between such age judgments and alcohol use. Some 39.4% of participants reported that the youngest character was under 21. Perceptions were positively related to amount of alcohol use among junior high school students, but not among high school students. (RJM)

Parenting Styles in a Cultural Context: Observations of "Protective Parenting" in First-Generation Latinos

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:49 PST

Current literature presents four primary parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful. These styles provide an important shortcut for a constellation of parenting behaviors that have been characterized as consisting of warmth, demandingness, and autonomy granting. Empirically, only warmth and demandingness are typically measured. Research reporting on parenting styles in Latino samples has been equivocal leading to questions about conceptualization and measurement of parenting styles in this ethnic/cultural group. This lack of consensus may result from the chasm between concepts (e.g., authoritarian parenting) and observable parenting behaviors (e.g., warmth) in this ethnic group. The present research aimed to examine parenting styles and dimensions in a sample of Latino parents using the two usual dimensions (warmth, demandingness) and adding autonomy granting. Traditional parenting styles categories were examined, as well as additional categorizations that resulted from adding autonomy granting. Fifty first-generation Latino parents and their child (aged 4–9) participated. Parent–child interactions were coded with the Parenting Style Observation Rating Scale (P-SOS). In this sample, the four traditional parenting categories did not capture Latino families well. The combination of characteristics resulted in eight possible parenting styles. Our data showed the majority (61%) of Latino parents as “protective parents.” Further, while mothers and fathers were similar in their parenting styles, expectations were different for male and female children. The additional dimensions and implications are discussed. The importance of considering the cultural context in understanding parenting in Latino families is emphasized, along with directions for future research.

Developing Culturally Appropriate, Evidence-Based Treatments for Interventions with Ethnic Minority Populations

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:46 PST

There is a lack of conceptual, theoretical, and methodological frameworks that appropriately position families and communities of color within a historical, political, and socioeconomic context that accounts for their experiences. This has led to gross disparities in mental health services. The neglect of families of color - whether or not it is overt - has contributed to the perpetuation of misunderstandings, oppressive attitudes, and, ultimately, poorly designed programs of intervention and psychotherapy. Historically, race, culture, and ethnicity have not been seriously addressed in clinical and scientific literature.

How to make parent-child relationships more effective

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:44 PST

Adolescent counter-arguing of TV beer advertisements: Evidence for the effectiveness of alcohol education and critical viewing discussions

M. D. Slater et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:40 PST

The pervasiveness of American youth's exposure to alcohol advertising is well-documented, as is the correlational evidence linking such exposure to alcohol-related attitudes, use, and expectancies. While efforts to train young people to resist persuasive appeals are often made in alcohol education programs, little evidence exists concerning the effectiveness of such efforts. The present study (<\it>N<\it> = 83) found that recency of exposure to alcohol education classes and discussion of alcohol advertising in such classes predicts cognitive resistance (counterarguing) of such advertisements months or even years after class exposure. Age, gender, and ethnicity were statistically controlled. While females tended to counterargue the alcohol advertisements more than did males, there was no statistically significant difference in the impact of education on males and females.

Perception of social insecurity and drug use

J. Villatoro et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:37 PST

Beer Advertising to Latino Youth: The Effects of Spanish- vs. English- Language Targeting

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:33 PST

This study analyzes the influence of American acculturation on Latino youths when responding to Spanish- and English-language advertisements.

Factors Affecting Psi Chi Members’ Satisfaction with Research Opportunities

Kristina McDougal et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:30 PST

The present data (similar to those in previous studies) indicated lower satisfaction ratings for research in Psi Chi as compared to other chapter activities. Student involvement in research was lower than might be expected for members (57.1% currently involved). Participation was particularly low for Psi Chi-sponsored research (9.8% of the same) and those students reported lower satisfaction with research than students involved in general research activities. The majority of non-involved students reported lack of participation in research activities because they were “too busy” with work or family obligations (65.1%) and did not know how to get involved (39.4%). Self-reported competence, opportunities for being mentored, knowledge about funding opportunities, and faculty advisor leadership characteristics were all significantly correlated with student satisfaction ratings. Recommendations were offered for improving research involvement and satisfaction.

Minority Academic Achievement in a Selective Public University: The Role of the Campus Environment

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:27 PST

Interest in improving the academic achievement of ethnic minorities is not new. Concern about improving the educational and vocational opportunities for African Americans has been expressed since the turn of the twentieth century. The question about how this could best be achieved was at the heart of the debates between W.E.B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington almost 100 years ago. Programs such as Head Start, which attempts to better prepare poor and minority children for school, are an important legacy of the civil rights era. Indeed, one of the key policy accomplishments in the post-civil rights era has been a reduction in the achievement gap between whites and blacks. The reduction of this gap, most apparent when examining rates of high school completion and graduation, progressed throughout the 1970s and 1980s such that by the 1990s, blacks were graduating from high school and enrolling in college in almost equal number to whites (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1997; U.S. Department of Education, 1999). (However, it is important to note that minorities represent a greater proportion of the student body in associate of arts institutions and are still a small proportion at research universities, with the exception of Asian Americans [U.S. Department of Education, 2000].) Although not as dramatic, the 1970s and 1980s were also a period of increasing educational attainment for Latinos (U.S. Department of Education, 1999). For Asian Americans, the achievement gap was also reduced, and by the end of the 1980s, Asian American educational attainment had come to outstrip that of whites (Hirschman & Wong, 1986; Lee, 1998; U.S. Census Bureau, 1998).

Overcoming the Odds? Adolescent Development in the Context of Urban Poverty

Ana Mari Cauce et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:24 PST

Adolescence, a time of rapid biological, emotional, and social changes, brings with it a heightened developmental risk (McCord, 1997). This risk may be highest for adolescents growing up in poverty within our country's inner cities. In addition to the normative stress of adolescence, poor inner-city youth face multiple stressors and adversities including crowded housing, poor-quality schools, inadequate nutrition, and the presence of violence and drugs in their neighborhoods (Sampson, Morenoff, & Earls, 1999). These factors, in turn, have been linked to a host of negative outcomes (Brooks-Gunn & Duncan, 1997; Gorman-Smith & Tolan, this volume). Nonetheless, some inner-city youth survive these circumstances, overcoming adversity to become productive members of society. This chapter will highlight research that helps us understand the dynamic process of risk and resilience during this difficult transition in an even more difficult context.

Filipino Americans

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:20 PST

Problem Solving: A scale to measure problem solving style in Mexican families

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:17 PST

Supporting and Encouraging Behavioral Research among Distance Education Students

Scott C. Bates et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:14 PST

Colleges and universities are reaching new audiences and helping students complete degrees and programs of study through distance education departments and programs. Distance education attracts working professionals, employed students, and single parents (Johnson, et al., 2003), who may otherwise not be able to engage in a traditional academic setting. These individuals can now enroll in single courses or full undergraduate and graduate programs. Distance education departments offer courses and degrees through various modes of delivery, including: independent study, online (via course management applications such as Blackboard), interactive broadcast (via satellite), and Ed-NET courses (via internet/webcam).

Adolescent responses to TV beer ads and sports content/context: Gender and ethnic differences

Michael D. Slater et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:11 PST

A brief narrative description of the journal article, document, or resource. Finds that female adolescents responded less positively than males to beer advertisements and to sports content of advertising, and more positively to nonbeer advertisement. Shows also that positive responses to beer ads predicted alcohol use among female and male adolescents. Finds no differences in response patterns to ads due to Latino ethnicity. (SR)

How adolescents counter-argue television beer advertisements: Implications for education efforts

Michael D. Slater et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:08 PST

Examined types of counterarguments generated by Anglo and Latino adolescents exposed to television beer ads, noting counterargument differences based on demographic and behavioral variables. Questionnaires and comments from the students indicated that without any cues, they responded with counterarguments, though counterarguments represented only 6.3% of total responses. Counterargument patterns differed by age and alcohol experimentation. (

Who are the adolescents that don't go to school? Survey of homes in the city of Pachuca, Hgo.

M. C. Mariño et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:04 PST

Latino families: Myths and realities

Ana Mari Cauce et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:24:00 PST

As we leap into the 21st century, we carry forward the legacy of a century that saw this nation struggle with creating a consciousness surrounding issues of race and ethnicity. In this past century, a process that began with an awareness of the differences, similarities, and nuances of being an ethnic minority and an ethnic majority member in this country progressed to the development of programs to address disparities.

Sequential Progression of Substance Use Among Homeless Youth: An Empirical Investigation of the Gateway Theory

Joshua Aaron Ginzler et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:23:58 PST

We examined the sequence of substance-use initiation in 375 street youth (age 13-21) who were interviewed from 1994-99 in Seattle, Washington. Based on the “gateway theory,” participants were categorized into six profiles to describe the order in which they initiated use of various substances (i.e., alcohol, marijuana, other drugs), or classified as nonprogressors if they had not tried all three classes of drugs. Youth progressing in the hypothesized gateway order (i.e., alcohol preceding marijuana, followed by other drugs) initiated their use at an earlier age than youth who had not progressed through all three substance classes. However, there was no relationship between a substance initiation profile and current substance-use. Implications include the recognition that street youth may follow different patterns of use than normative groups, and that interventions geared toward youth who use substances heavily must include contextual factors, in addition to substance-use history.

Establishment of an Interdisciplinary Pediatric Oral-Motor-Sensory Feeding Clinic Team

V. Simonsmeier et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:23:54 PST

This article presents a description of a university-based Pediatric Oral-Motor Feeding Clinic established in response to concerns from parents in the local community regarding accessibility of resources and expertise in the area of pediatric feeding disorders. We outline how one group of professionals in a rural area, with limited resources, organized the interdisciplinary feeding clinic and discussed the process of creating the clinic, the administrative and personnel considerations, and training issues. The feeding clinic follows a model of interdisciplinary assessment, and culturally competent, family-centered, community-based practice and training. The development of this Clinic-facilitated care to community families who otherwise would have to travel more than 80 miles for an evaluation. The clinic team includes a developmental pediatrician, a nurse, an occupational therapist, a psychologist, a registered dietitian, and a speech-language pathologist. Families are the center of the evaluation. In addition to the formation of a clinic, changes in university curriculum in the departments Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education and Psychology have ensued. Involvement in the USU Feeding Clinic prepares students from a variety of disciplines to work with children who have oral-motor/sensory feeding difficulties.

Substance Abuse

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:23:50 PST

Cultural adaptation of an empirically supported intervention: From theory to practice in a Latino/a community context

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:23:48 PST

Acculturation in Latino children

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez et al. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:23:45 PST