Suchergebnisse

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the experiences of Latino youth and their parents who are at risk for detainment or deportation to gain an in‐depth understanding of the impact of the risk for parental deportation on psychosocial well‐being.BackgroundChildren born in the United States to foreign‐born parents comprise approximately 27% of the U.S. population. Approximately 5.7 million U.S.‐born children live with parents without legal residency documentation, and nearly 500,000 children had at least one parent detained or deported over a 2‐year period. There is a high risk for negative child and family outcomes associated with parental deportation.MethodA constructivist grounded theory design was used to complete semistructured interviews with families (N = 16) at risk for parental deportation. A quantitative trauma assessment was used to triangulate qualitative findings.ResultsResults indicated four core themes: (a) parents and youth experience emotional distress associated with the risk of deportation, (b) parents and youth experience injustices associated with the threat of deportation, (c) children experience their freedoms as conditional, and (d) children suffer.ConclusionsConcepts from ambiguous loss and developmental trauma may aid our understanding of family emotional distress associated with the risk for deportation and improve family services aimed to promote family well‐being.ImplicationsFamily scholar‐advocate and scholar‐activist approaches, in which we use our positions of privilege to educate others about the needs of underserved families, may be helpful for families at‐risk for deportation.

AbstractExisting research demonstrates that parent and child gender may influence important aspects of family relationships; however, most research in this area has been conducted with non‐clinical samples. As clinicians, it is important to consider how gender impacts family relationships, particularly among vulnerable families. This study examined the intersections of gender role attitudes and parenting practices among 34 parents involved with the child welfare system and referred for clinical intervention. Using a mixed methods design, themes regarding gender role beliefs and parenting practices were found through qualitative interviews with parents. Findings suggested that fathers felt responsible for financially providing for their families and expressed challenges in communicating with mothers, and mothers described challenges they face because of a lack of father involvement. Parents also discussed a perceived need to monitor daughters closely while fostering the independence of their sons. Results of the qualitative analyses were supported by quantitative findings indicating significant differences in harsh and inconsistent discipline practices and clear expectations for girls compared to boys. The discussion addresses implications for clinicians, including how a feminist family therapy perspective may help promote client influence over traditional gender norms by questioning gender role attitudes and exploring alternate narratives that may impact family dynamics.