Mexican American Psychology: Social, Cultural, and Clinical Perspectives (Race, Ethnicity, Culture, and Health)

"Providing in-depth coverage of the Mexican American population from social, cultural, and psychological (clinical) perspectives, this book promotes the understanding of cultural practices and sociological characteristics of this important ethnic group. There are now more than 32 million Mexican Americans living in the United States. As a result, the odds that a clinician will work with a member of this population--one of the fastest-growing minority groups in the United States--is extremely high. Understanding the culture, society, psyche, acculturation, assimilation, and linguistics specific to Mexican Americans, as well as their crises and appropriate interventions, is imperative to provide counseling/therapy services and culturally sensitive assessments. In this book, author Mario Tovar explains how Mexican American history and society affects the needs of this group and how services to Mexican Americans require adjustments as a result. Tovar documents significant differences among Mexican Americans depending on whether they are documented or undocumented immigrants, and on their place of origin--rural versus urban areas of Mexico, and northern versus southern Mexico, for example. Readers will understand how the region of the United States in which Mexican Americans settle can influence the development of certain traits for them and learn about mental and physical health care practices common to Mexican Americans, including folk medicine and 'healers' who often include grandmothers and elder neighbors. This book addresses the characteristics of members of this large and growing group of Americans as distinct from the generalized ethnic group of 'Latino Americans;' covers long-time U.S. residents and recent immigrants from Mexico as well as second and later generation Mexican Americans; provides extensive information about the Mexican American population from different perspectives that gives readers better insight and understanding about this important ethnic group; promotes cultural sensitivity when working with Mexican Americans in different settings; and describes specific clinical strategies that can be effective when working with Mexican Americans"--Provided by publisher. Cover ......Page 1 Title Page ......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Series Foreword......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Part I: Introduction to Sociological and Anthropological Topics......Page 12 Chapter 1. Overview of Mexican American Psychology......Page 14 Chapter 2. Mexican American History......Page 28 Chapter 3. Contemporary Mexican American Society......Page 46 Chapter 4. Undocumented Immigration and Mexican Americans......Page 60 Chapter 5. Assimilation and Acculturation of Mexican Americans......Page 72 Chapter 6. Language, Communication, and Mexican Americans......Page 84 Part II: Introduction to Clinical Topics......Page 94 Chapter 7. Mexican Americans and Mental Health......Page 96 Chapter 8. The Clinical Interview......Page 108 Chapter 9. Counseling Mexican Americans......Page 124 Chapter 10. Psychological Assessments and Evaluations for Mexican Americans......Page 138 Chapter 11. Crisis Interventions......Page 150 Chapter 12. Future Considerations......Page 162 References......Page 170 Index......Page 190 About the Author and Series Editor......Page 202 This book explores how Mexican American history and society affects the needs of this group and how services to Mexican Americans require adjustments as a result. It documents differences among Mexican Americans whether they are documented or undocumented immigrants, and on their place of origin, e.g., rural versus urban areas of Mexico, and explains how the region of the United States in which Mexican Americans settle can influence the development of certain traits for them