Understanding Latino Families Understanding Families Series Editors: Bert N. Adams, University of Wisconsin David M. Klein, University of Notre Dame This book series examines a wide range of subjects relevant to studying families. Our book series examines a wide range of subjects relevant to studying families. Topics include, but are not limited to, theory and conceptual design, research methods on the family, racial/ethnic families, mate selection, marriage, family power dynamics, parenthood, divorce and remarriage, custody issues, and aging families. The series is aimed primarily at scholars working in family studies, sociology, psychology, social work, ethnic studies, gender studies, cultural studies, and related fields as they focus on the family. Volumes will also be useful for graduate and undergraduate courses in sociology of the family, family relations, family and con­ sumer sciences, social work and the family, family psychology, family history, cultural perspectives on the family, and others. Books appearing in Understanding Families are either single- or multiple-authored volumes or concisely edited books of original chapters on focused topics within the broad interdisciplinary field of marriage and family. The books are reports of significant research, innovations in methodology, trea­ tises on family theory, syntheses of current knowledge in a family subfield, or advanced textbooks. Each volume meets the highest academic standards and makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of marriages and families. The National Council on Family Relations cosponsors with Sage a book award for students and new professionals. Award-winning manuscripts are published as part of the Understanding Families series. Multiracial Couples: Black and White Voices Paul C. Rosenblatt, Terri A. Karis, and Richard D. Powell Understanding Latino Families: Scholarship, Policy, and Practice Edited by Ruth E. Zambrana Current Widowhood: Myths & Realities Helena Znaniecka Lopata Family Theories: An Introduction David M. Klein and James M. White Understanding Differences Between Divorced and Intact Families Ronald L. Simons and Associates Adolescents, Work, and Family: An Intergenerational Developmental Analysis Jeylan T. Mortimer and Michael D. Finch Families and Time: Keeping Pace in a Hurried Culture Kerry J. Daly No More Kin: Exploring Race, Class, and Gender in Family Networks Anne R. Roschelle Contemporary Parenting: Challenges and Issues Edited by Terry Arendell Families Making Sense of Death Janice Winchester Nadeau Black Families in Corporate America Susan D. Toliver Reshaping Fatherhood: The Social Construction of Shared Parenting Anna Dienhart Ruth Å. Zambrana, Editor Understanding Latino Families Scholarship, Policy, and Practice UNDERSTANDING F ^ILIES .SAGE Publications ) International Educational and Professional Publisher Thousand Oaks London New Delhi Copyright © 1995 by Sage Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information address: SAGE Publications, Inc. 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, California 91320 E-mail: [email protected] SAGE Publications Ltd. 6 Bonhill Street London EC2A 4PU United Kingdom SAGE Publications India Pvt. Lid. M-32 Market Greater Kailash I New Delhi 110048 India Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Main entry under title: Understanding Latino families: scholarship, policy and practice/ edited by Ruth E. Zambrana. p. cm.—(Understanding families; 2) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8039-5609-6 (alk. paper).—ISBN 0-8039-5610-X (pbk. alk. paper) I. Hispanic American families. I. Zambrana, Ruth E. II. Series. E184.S75U4 1995 306.8Ό8968—dc20 95-8202 The cover photograph shows the mural VIVA LA VIDA by artist Gregory Mejia. The mural was commissioned by the Midwest Latino Health Research, Training, and Policy Center for Medical Treatment Effectiveness Program (MEDTEP) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, 1640 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, Illinois, where it is on display. Used with permission. This book is printed on acid-free paper. 98 99 00 01 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 Sage Production Editor: Diana E. Axelsen HG) Dedication This book is dedicated to my mother and father and to my children. By words and example, Mami instilled in me the strength to persist, in the face of maltreatment, toward higher goals, so that I could contribute to the forward movement of our community. This book has also been inspired and pushed forward by the lives of my children, Amad and Jahan. In particular, my son confronted, without warning, the insidious and demeaning force of racism in a public school system. Those same forces contribute to the persistent lack of achievement of many Latinos in the U.S. educational system. Thus, this book is also written to recognize and honor all Latino children and youth and their parents, who have struggled against the contra- dictions in this society that espouses equality and delivers inequity. m CONTENTS Preface xi PART I: LATINO FAMILIES: CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES AND OVERVIEW 1. The Study of Latino Families: A Point of Departure 3 William A. Vega Family Morphology and Socioeconomic Circumstances 5 Familism and Continuity of Family Values 7 Traditional Values and Gender Roles 9 Family Process and Acculturation 10 Strengths and Sources of Challenge: Looking Ahead 12 Effects of Labor Market Conditions on Family Life Conclusion 17 2. The Diversity of Latino Families 18 Vilma Ortiz Overview of Families 19 Historical and Demographic Overview 20 Socioeconomic Characteristics 23 Family Characteristics 31 Changing Status of Families: Conclusions 35 Appendix 38 3. Variations, Combinations, and Evolutions: Latino Families in the United States 40 Atda Hurtado The Effects of Assimilation on Latino Families 42 Latino Family Life Unaffected by Assimilation 47 Current Conceptualizations of Pathology: The Underclass Model 51 The Functionalist Reevaluation of Chicano Families 53 The Feminist Critique of the Functionalist Approach to Studying Chicano Families 54 Women's Issues Within the Context of the Latino Families 56 Structural Deficiency Model 58 Future Directions for Research 58 Conclusions 60 4. The Status of Latino Children and Youth: Challenges and Prospects 62 Julie Solis Children and Family Characteristics 63 Educational Status 66 Employment and Economic Mobility 74 Adolescent Marriage and Childbearing 76 Summary and Conclusions 80 PART II: PROGRAM AND PRACTICE 5. Including Latino Fathers in Parent Education and Support Programs: Development of a Program Model 85 Douglas R. Potvell The Context: Parent Programs and Latino Fathers 86 Perspectives on Fathers in Latino Families 88 Lessons Learned From the MELD Nueva Familia Initiative 90 Fathers' Program Preferences and Roles in the Family 91 Fathers' Program Participation 98 Concluding Comment 105 6. Central American Refugees in Los Angeles: Adjustment of Children and Families 107 Claudia Dorrington Central American Immigration to the United States 108 Central American Families: The Psychosocial Context 109 Central Americans in Los Angeles: The Community Setting 110 Building Community: Strengths and Barriers 115 The Adjustment of Families in a "Hostile" Environment 118 The Children's Experience 120 Implications for Community Building: Services to Strengthen Families 125 7. Latino Youth and Families as Active Participants in Planning Change: A Community-University Partnership 130 Marilyn Aguirre-Molina and Pilar A. Parra A Risk Profile of Latino Youth 132 The Perth Amboy Community Partnership for Youth 135 Project Evaluation: Methods and Procedures 138 Results: A Profile of Perth Amboy 140 Results of the Community Survey 141 Discussion of the Survey Results 150 PART III: POLICY IMPLICATIONS 8. Family and Child Health: A Neglected Vision 157 Ruth E. Zambrana, Claudia Dorrington, and David Hayes-Bautista Health Within the Family Context: An Overview 158 Obstacles in Promoting Latino Family Health 174 9. Social Science Theorizing for Latino Families in the Age of Diversity 177 Maxine Baca Zinn Conventional Social Science Frameworks 178 Rethinking Latino Families 179