Minority Families and Mental Health

Minority Families and Mental Health

By Kevin Leonard

Extensive research has demonstrated that ethnic minorities are far less likely to receive mental health care than White Americans (Nadeem, Lange, Miranda, 2008). There are several explanations in relation to the mental health disparities that are observed among different cultures.

Cultural differences within minority populations have been strongly associated with racial and ethnic disparities regarding mental health treatment (Snowden 2007). For instance, researchers, theorists, and clinical observers have noticed a greater sense of responsibility amongst ethnic minority families in terms of caring for mentally ill family members (Snowden 2007). It was also noted that ethnic minority persons are frequently sensitive to the needs and expectations of their families (Snowden 2007). Additionally, psychiatric illness is viewed as a western cultural construct (Knifton 2012). Individuals coming from other cultural backgrounds may view psychological distress as a form of illness. For example, many Asian cultures view psychiatric illness as being related to religion or the supernatural (Knifton 2012).

The geographical location of these minority groups is integral when examining mental health disparities. Lower income areas tend to have higher rates of mental illness. More specifically, being exposed to material and social disadvantages increases rates of mental illness (Knifton 2012). In general, mental illness and overall psychological discomfort may be perpetuated by relative inequality (Knifton 2012). Problems within our government also contribute to the mental health disparities among minority populations. More specifically, governmental institutions typically under-invest in health services within communities with lower incomes (Knifton 2012). The lack of funding and subsequent lack of health services undoubtedly contributes to the disparity.

The stigma surrounding mental health within minority groups can profoundly impact an individual’s decision to seek care. Research has indicated that minority groups in the United States exhibit higher levels of stigma than White Americans (Nadeem et al., 2008). Stigmas are characterized by distorted beliefs, negative attitudes, and discriminatory behaviors (Knifton 2012). Social consequences are often feared when seeking help from mental health professionals (Knifton 2012). What can be done to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health? 

The perpetuation of mental health stigma in the media. 

The Reality: 1 in 4 people suffer from mental illness

Questions:

1. Have you or has anyone you have been close to experienced mental health stigma? If so, how was this problem solved?

2. What can be done to alleviate the mental health stigma among minority groups?

3. What do you feel is the primary contributor to this disparity?

References

Knifton, L. (2012). Understanding and addressing the stigma of mental illness with ethnic minority communities. Health Sociology Review, 21(3), 287-298.

Nadeem, E., Lange, J. M., & Miranda, J. (2008). Mental health care preferences among low-income and minority women. Archives Of Women's Mental Health, 11(2), 93-102. doi:10.1007/s00737-008-0002-0

Snowden, L. R. (2007). Explaining Mental Health Treatment Disparities: Ethnic and Cultural Differences in Family Involvement. Culture, Medicine & Psychiatry, 31(3), 389-402. doi:10.1007/s11013-007-9057-z

Yacht Clubs and Housing Projects; A Stiff Mix Poured Within One Town By Jeff Zeppieri

Minority families in the United States are groups of people who seem to have less power than the dominant group and who are subject to unequal treatment(Seccombe 156) for many reasons. Some of the reasons minority families struggle is due to economic issues such as lack of employment, discrimination due to race, and truly just being stuck in a hole that is due to a mix of all of those aspects. Racism- the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of one particular race(Merriam-Webster Online 2010) is a key factor in the way minority families function. The university of Chicago did a study in which they sent of resumes to over a thousand job ads using four names, two of which were primarily "black" sounding and the other two "white." The resumes with white sounding names received back 50 percent more calls for interviews than the black did.(Seccombe 156) So if these statistics prove it is easier for a white man with a white name to get a job in this country what does this do for the black man who needs a job to get money to survive and provide for his family? In what ways can the United States help reduce this stereotype so that there is no prejudgement before a job interview and everyone is actually equal? This video shows a member of the NAACP going into a school which the majority is white teachers, he feels that many of the qualified black people who have applied for jobs in the school have been disregarded and he is making a stand and wants to know why they are not being hired. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbZ9P_iAuvA To tie this into my life, I grew up in the town of Mystic, Connecticut which to those who know about it may feel I have no right to even speak on minority families because thats the last thing you would find in Mystic- wrong. It is true the Mystic, Noank, and Groton Long Point area are mostly wealthy fishing villages and homes on the water, but what people do not know is the poverty that surrounds these nice areas. About a mile from my house, there is a housing project called Poquonock Bridge. These houses are all very small in size with large families (mostly minority) living off of Welfare. About a mile from there is Branford Manor which is a little smaller in size, but is structured connected housing for people that cannot afford anything but the housing the government provides. Here's where things get interesting. The high school in my town is compiled from 3 middle schools. Cutler Middle consisting of kids from wealthy to upper middle class Mystic and Noank areas, Fitch Middle consisting of mostly kids from Poquonock bridge and suburbs of it making the population poor-low class, and West Side Middle which consists of kids from Branford Manor and surrounding housing developments making it poor to middle class. Needless to say the first day of High School for some kids is a huge surprise. The the rich kids in all Lacoste interacting with kids who cannot afford to buy a T shirt and are wearing all hand-me-downs from generations ago, and the stereotypes from group to group, and the way people turn their noses up at each other. It was a very interesting climax of all of the social groups meeting, having classes, and interacting together. I would have no learned half the things I know today if it was not for me making friends with kids from all over Mystic to Groton to New London. One of my favorite things about having a diverse group of friends that are either very rich or very poor is seeing the different ways these people live, and what its like to go to their homes and hang out. I consider myself directly in the middle and have no stereotypical ways towards either rich or poor. Wether it be Tuna fishing off of my friends Yacht, or drinking 40 oz beers on the front porch of my friends government issues home, I still believe that is not what shapes him or her as a person. Here are a few photos of Mystic, Noank, Poquonock Bridge, and Branford Manor.(In Order) By: Jeff Zeppieri Questions In what ways could the people of Groton to Mystic help integrate before going into high school so there is not such a race and class barrier? Do you think it would be possible to create a job application that did not require a first name rather a number of some sort therefore there would be no stereotyping on who was chose for the job? What are some of the problems that may rise with kids from different economical backgrounds becoming close and spending time together? Do you think that if a child living in poverty makes friends with a group of children who are all upper-middle class this will be a good outcome on the way he sees his own family? Why or why not?

The Model Minority Myth and How it Harms Asian American Families

by Karen Briggs

The term “model minority” is often used to refer to ethnic minorities who are able to assimilate into mainstream American culture with relative success, specifically Asian Americans. It is important to note that this title is not a means of praising Asian Americans. In fact, despite the prevalence of the Model Minority Myth (MMM) in the U.S., a survey in 2001 found that 43% of respondents had "somewhat negative" attitudes towards Chinese Americans, and 25% had "very negative" attitudes toward Chinese Americans (Kang). Rather than improving the social perceptions of Asian Americans, traditionally, this argument is used to dismiss any claims of institutional racism against other groups, as in to say, “Asian Americans have worked hard and become successful in the United States, so racism is no longer an oppressive force in this country.” However, despite the success of some Asian Americans in some fields, the Model Minority Theory has many gaping flaws. In fact, the MMM generally causes much more harm to Asian Americans than it benefits them.

The MMM is problematic in itself simply based off the fact that it creates a racialized hierarchy in the United States. However, some people might fail to see how this harms Asian American families, especially if it places them above other ethnic minorities on this scale. On the contrary, it is very harmful to Asian American families. As Ms. Kyung Yoon states in the video above, the problem of the MMM is twofold in that it: 1) obscures the problems faced by Asian American communities by focusing only on the “successful” members, and 2) creates racial tensions with other ethnic minority communities in the U.S. by comparing them to the “Asian American standard” when such a comparison is unreasonable due to the extremely different historical circumstances of different ethnic communities.

By grouping all Americans of Asian descent into one homogeneous entity, "Asian Americans," we fail to recognize the vast diversity of culture and background. When we refer to immigrants from Europe, people often talk about Italian Americans, Irish Americans, Polish Americans and so on. Yet, so frequently we only refer to immigrants from the many different countries of Asia as simply "Asians." In 1980 a study found that the mean personal income of Korean, Chinese, and Filipino men in California were, respectively, 82%, 68% and 62% of the income of white men and in New York the mean income of Chinese men was only 52% of white men. Japanese men, however, were reported as having roughly the same income of white men- though they required a higher level of education and more work hours to achieve this parity (Saito, 1997). South Asian immigrants in particular, such as Thai Americans, Cambodian Americans and Hmong Americans, have some of the highest poverty rates in the United States (Takei, 2011). Another concept that is rarely discussed is the "glass ceiling" and how it applies to Asian Americans. The "glass ceiling" is a term typically applied to the obstruction of access to positions of authority for women in the workplace, but researchers have found that there is a similar problem for Asian Americans. Despite a reasonable representation of some Asian Americans in professional settings, there is a block when it comes to positions of authority, leadership and decision-making (Roli, 2004).

The MMM can be particularly detrimental to Asian American students. A study of Asian American women found that when the concept of Asian superiority in terms of test taking was presented prior to taking an exam, the students actually did worse on the exam, which indicates that the MMM can put extra levels of stress on Asian American students (Cheryan & Bodenhaus, 2001). A different study also found that Asian students were held to higher standards than their peers when applying to Ivy League universities and that an Asian American student with an SAT score of 1550 (this study took place when the highest score possible was 1600) had an equal chance of being accepted to an Ivy League school as a white student with a score of 1410 (Epenshade & Chung, 2005). Many Asian students also suffer because when they do not succeed academically, it is seen as more shocking than normal or more of a disappointment, but when they do succeed it is not seen as being special because it expected of them.

As well as dealing with the specific problems for Asian American families and communities discussed above, something all Asian Americans have to deal with is living as an ethnic minority in the United States. Despite what those who support the MMM say, unfortunately, we do not live in a country of racial equality. Even though we have made progress, many ethnic minorities report facing racial discrimination on a regular basis. One way that many people combat this is by forming bonds of solidarity between different cultural groups, for example the combined efforts to fight White Supremacy by the groups the Black Panthers and the Yellow Peril during the Civil Rights Era. However, as mentioned previously, the MMM deteriorates these bonds by creating a culture of competition between minorities and this in itself is detrimental to all people of color, as well as Asian Americans in particular.

In conclusion, the Model Minority Myth, like any racial stereotype, not only does not help Asian American families, it actively works against them by dismissing the problems that they face and denying them the resources they need. They create a false stereotype of universal Asian American success and ultimately create more problems regarding racism in the United States.

Further Reading
The Model Minority Image
Five Ways the Myth of the Model Minority Hurts All of Us
The Model Minority Myth Continues

Questions
1. Do you think the Model Minority Myth and the stereotypes that come with it are as prevalent today as they have been in the past?
2. Can you think of any other "positive" stereotypes about a marginalized group that are actually oppressive when you look at them more closely?

References
*Kang, K. C.(2001). Study Finds Persistent Negative Perceptions of Chinese Americans. Los Angeles Times, A1.
*N. T. Saito. (1997). Model Minority, Yellow Peril: Functions of “Foreignness” in the Construction of Asian American Legal Identity. Asian Law Journal, 4, 71–95.
*Takei, I., & Sakamoto, A. (2011). Poverty Among Asian Americans in the 21st Century. Sociological Perspectives, 54(2), 251-276.
*Varma, R. (2004). Asian Americans: Achievements Mask Challenges. Asian Journal Of Social Science, 32(2), 290-307.
*Cheryan, S., & Bodenhausen, G. V. (n.d). When Positive Stereotypes Threaten Intellectual Performance: The Psychological Hazards of 'Model Minority' Status. Psychological Science, 11(5), 399.
*T. J. Epenshade & C. Y. Chung. 2005. The Opportunity Cost of Admission Preferences at Elite Universities. Social Science Quarterly. 86 (2), 293-305.

Child Discipline - Emily Chadwick

Emily Chadwick

Child Discipline

Sociology of Family

            When any kind of couple has children, they often come to the difficult issue of how to discipline a child. There has been several different debates on whether spanking a child is abuse, how do time outs function in a household and when does discipline become abuse? I have heard many of these topics being thrown around in discussion in many different social situations.

            There is often a confusion of what the actual definition of discipline is. According to the Committee for Children (2004), “the purpose of discipline is ‘to encourage moral, physical, and intellectual development and a sense of responsibility in children.’”  It is often believed that child discipline goes hand and hand with being extremely forceful, aggressive, and physical. But according to that definition there is no need for any of these things. It often depends on what kind of parents they are.

            As we discussed in class, there are a few types of parenting styles. In class we talked about Permissive, authoritative, and authoritarian, but according to Ingram (2006) ‘There are four parenting styles, the permissive parent, the neglectful parent, the authoritarian parent, and the authoritative parent.’  So it depends on what kind of parenting style if there is more likely going to be forceful discipline involved.

            By the definitions of those four parenting styles, Authoritarian is more likely to use forceful, and physical violence in discipline. Often these types of parents think it is ‘their way or the highway.’ They often use fear to control their children.

            There are certain aspects of discipline I agree with though, I do not believe that being a permissive parent is good for the parent of any of the children involved. They often grow up learning that they can get anything they want, or do anything they want without consequences.  And authoritative parenting style I believe is the most successfully effective style of parenting, there can be compromise with the parent and child, but there is a use of punishment such as time out and consequences for wrongdoing.

           

Ingram, C. (n.d.). Effective child discipline. Retrieved from http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/effective_biblical_discipline/effective-child-discipline.aspx

Child discipline. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.americanhumane.org/children/stop-child-abuse/fact-sheets/child-discipline.html

One of the articles used a quote from the Committee for Children as well.

Questions:

1. What type of parenting do you think proves to be most successful and healthy?

2. Do you think a mixture of any of these types of parenting is helpful?

3. What type of consequences do you think can result from any of these different types of family?

           

good kid, m.A.A.d city (a glimpse into Compton)

“Adolescents and young adults listen to quantitatively more music than previous generations,” (Chesley, 2011, pg.2) So music is a plausible and important outlet of influence amongst my generation, and also an important outlet to learn about what goes on by offering outsiders an in depth view into the lives of minority families.  Rap music “encourages a more fine-grained and nuanced understanding of Black males and their ideas about the family.”(Oware, 2011 pg.328) Recently, as I was listening to Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” I realized that the album was connected to the minority family more closely than I had previously thought. Set in Compton, and rapping about alcoholism, poverty, violence, and desperately trying to escape the ghetto, Lamar vividly paints the struggles of growing up in a minority family, and the fear of never being able to escape alive.

I think an important thing to point out is that Lamar rarely mentions his Father, which to me translates to common minority family issue of an absent father. He isn’t concerned with school, and he is living in poverty. He longs to be one of the few black boys to “fly” out of Compton, but he must dodge bullets both real and metaphorical as he works through violence, alcoholism, and gangs.

The Art of Peer Pressure

“I never was a gangbanger, I mean I was never stranger to the folk neither

  I really doubt it

  Rush a n**** quick and then we laugh about it

  That’s ironic ‘cause I’ve never been violent, until I’m with the homies”

Surrounded by gang members and seeing his friends fall into trouble, gangs are an everyday part of Kendrick’s life. He tells us that although he isn’t in a gang, nor is he violent, when he was with his friends he would participate in random acts of violence. The peer pressure influence of his friends forced him into being a person that he isn’t, which is a prime example of a good kid falling down a bad path because of his friends.

This reminded me of my childhood friend “Dontrelle”, we played baseball together for years, but he fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up in a juvenile detention center. He was a good kid, but his older cousins were connected to a gang and they exerted a great influence on him. It began with trying drugs and drinking with his cousins, and escalated quickly to robberies and violence. He was a gifted athlete, but his life was ruined by a gang’s influence.

Swimming Pools (Drank)

“Now I done grew up round some people living their lives in bottles

  Granddaddy had the golden flask

  Backstroke everyday in Chicago

  Some people like the way it feels; some people wanna kill their sorrows

  Some people want to fit in with the popular that was my problem”

Alcoholism has run in Kendrick’s family, and he has grown up surrounded by people drowning in their alcohol addictions. He states that some people drink because they like it, or because they are sad, but in his case he drank just because he wanted to be “cool.” Alcohol is a substance that can destroy a family, like a swimming pool, it is something that can be fun, but it is also something that you can drown in.

Black Boy Fly

“I used to be jealous of Arron Afflalo, he was the one to follow”

Kendrick is talking about basketball player Arron Afflalo as one of the lucky ones who used athletic ability to escape Compton, which relates to the harsh stereotype that the only way for some of these kids to make it out of the ghetto is through sports or music. He talks about how motivated Afflalo was by constantly shooting hoops and studying, and how in contrast Kendrick and his friends were focused on listening to music and drinking.

“I used to be jealous of Jayceon Taylor when I was young, Taylor made a career out of music from writing songs.”

      Jayceon Taylor aka “The Game” is a Compton rapper that Kendrick looked up to as a kid. Using him as an example furthers the classic urban stereotype that music or sports are the only way out of the hood. Lamar uses the term “Black boy fly” as a metaphor for making it out of Compton.

“I wasn’t jealous cause of the talents they got, I was terrified they’ll be the last black boys to fly out of Compton.”

In the end, Lamar isn’t jealous of those who made it out; instead he is scared that they will be the only ones who do. 

      Lamar offered listeners a beautiful glimpse into the harsh vicissitudes of growing up as a minority in the ghetto, and the cruel realities that it entails such as alcoholism, gangs, and violence, and the slim chance that these kids have to "fly"...

-Ryan Haas

Questions

Reflect on the stereotype that as a minority, music and sports are the only ways to escape the ghetto.

Obviously Kendrick managed to “fly” out of Compton, how do you think he feels about those who didn’t make it out?

Do you know any minorities that are living lives similar to the story told on the album?

Works Cited

Chesley, P. (2011). You Know What It Is: Learning Words through Listening to Hip-Hop. Plos ONE, 6(12), 1-10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028248

Oware, M. (2011). Decent Daddy, Imperfect Daddy: Black Male Rap Artists' Views of Fatherhood and the Family. Journal Of African American Studies, 15(3), 327-351. doi:10.1007/s12111-010-9155-9

Lamar, Kendrick. (2012). The Art of Peer Pressure (Recorded by Kendrick Lamar). On good kid, m.A.A.d city (Digital) Los Angeles: Interscope. (October 22^nd, 2012)

Lamar, Kendrick. (2012). Swimming Pools (Drank) (Recorded by Kendrick Lamar). On good kid, m.A.A.d city (Digital) Los Angeles: Interscope. (October 22^nd, 2012)

Lamar, Kendrick. (2012). Black Boy Fly (Recorded by Kendrick Lamar). On good kid, m.A.A.d city (Digital) Los Angeles: Interscope. (October 22^nd, 2012)

Minority Families: LGBTQ

The definition of minority in the United States has changed throughout history. Irish migrants were once considered a minority and in contemporary US society people that are ethnically nonwhite, non heterosexual and poor are generally referred to as minorities. In a family context, the definition of minority is shifting to represent the changes in recognized unions and partnerships. When I think of minority, I undoubtedly think of Latino, Black and some Asian communities. But in my quick reflection of minorities in the US, I ignored Native American.  Now, imagine the combined ‘burden’ of being a racial/ethnic minority, as well as being a sexual minority. The invisible worlds that these racial and ethnic minorities occupy are further removed from our idea of what society is with the conflux of LGBTQ identities.

LGBT families are represented in 96 percent of U.S. counties. If we look at where they live, you find that they are located in Mississippi, which has a percentage 33% of same-sex couples raising families.  For those interested, Mass has a 19% of same-sex couples raising children. Other southern states like Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and South Carolina top the list, as well as middle-American states like Wyoming, Oklahoma, Kansas and Montana (Thompson, 2007). This figure illustrates that Latino women and men trump all other identities when it comes to raising children, yet there is little exposure or instances in which we are exposed to media, law, or the general lifestyle of these families.

Less than 20 states recognize same-sex marriages. Laws ignoring contemporary family configurations, result in some pretty bad consequences that can affect the mental psyche of an individual. Laws preventing or not recognizing LGBTQ family configurations may deny children the security and protection of having a legal connection to a parent who cares for them (Guzman et al, 2009). The binary effect of this is that parents, who are not recognized by law to be a part of their own family can have difficulty communicating with other members in society about their issues. LGBTQ families from the get go are disadvantaged in terms of access to social security benefits as well as health care benefits. In terms of guardianship, if a parent dies, their accumulated wealth might not go to those either involved in their family unit or the same sex partner. An area that has not responded to shifting definitions of family is the tax system. Same sex couples cannot file one household tax return. Even adoption laws prevent the establishment of families living in LGBTQ households.

Media is always a good tool to understand what society things about certain issues. In the case of LGBTQ families, Modern Family inaccurately represents the reality of LGBTQ families, but it does touch on the role of kinship networks as a form of support.  ABC is Launching a new tv Show called; The Fosters, (directed by J-lo!) which is focused on a lesbian headed household. Although, LGBTQ families are underrepresented, there is an increased awareness in society, even though racial minorities are often discounted in this representation.

This video demonstrates the discrimination faced by some LGBT families. Even though it’s staged, it reflects the mentality that many parents have to deal with. Imagine being in a setting like that with your children? Stereotypes are harmful but the video also shows that people don’t stand for discrimination.

Minority same sex families face unique pressures; race-based discrimination is still widely documented in employment and housing, and racial/ethnic profiling remains a common practice. As a result, families of color confront stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination throughout their daily lives without the political agency to elevate their status (Movement Advancement Project, 2012). 

Questions: 

Who's next?- In contemporary US society, what groups or combination of groups will become minorities or be labelled as such?

-Is labeling groups as minorities useful or harmful to their identity and agency?

Citation:

Thompson, C. (2007). The Struggles, Experiences and Needs of Children in LGBTQ Families.            Diversity Factor, 15(3), 36-42.

LEV, A. (2010). How Queer!—The Development of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation in        LGBTQ-Headed Families. Family Process, 49(3), 268-290. doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.2010.01323.x

Guzman, M., & Sperling, R. L. (2009). “Knock-Knock!”: ReVisioning Family and Home. Journal Of                Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 21(2-3), 115-133. doi:10.1080/10538720902771867

 

Movement Advancement Project. (2012). All Children Matter: How Legal and Social Inequalities Hurt        LGBT Families,” ) Family Equality Council and Center for American Progress.

Extra resources for those interest.

http://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps- 

http://www.basicrights.org/ourfamilies/- This link has “our stories” basically detailing the experience of LGBTQ families from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.

 

 

 

Brian Diah.