Aisenstein C

Language: Spanish
References: 10
Page: 42-51
PDF size: 557.65 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Some factors associated to the cultural shock that Latin-American families experince when they migrate to the United States are described. The families live in Washington D.C. and attend the Maternal/Child Health Clinic. The following are some of the factors that difficult adaptation to the new country: linguistic, ethnic and cultural incongruities, laws and norms regarding the protection of small children, problems among parents and the children´s school, chaos perceived by migrants, urban violence and poverty, difficulties in the protection of intimacy against what is external to the family, conflict between male clinical examples. Some social and demographic data of the families that assisted to the clinic last year is presented. The need for health professionals to consider this factors when they work with migrant families with the objective of promoting a sucessful transition is addressed.

REFERENCES

1. Beiser M. Migration: Opportunity or mental health risk. Triangle 1990; 29: 83-90.

2. Maldonado-Durán JM, Munguia-Wellman M, Lubin S, Lartigue T. Latino families in the periantal period. Cultural issues in dealing with the health care system. Great Plains Research 2001; 10(2).

3. Moro MR, Nathan T. Ethnopsychiatrie de I´enfant [Etnopsiquiatría del niño]. En Lebovici S, Diatkine R, Soule M (editores) Nouveau Traité de la Psychiatrie de I´Enfant et de I´Adolescent [Nuevo tratado de psiquiatría del niño y el adolescente], Vol 3. Paris, Presses universitaires de France; 1999. p. 423-43.

4. Beiser M, Edwards RG. Mental health of immigrants and refugees. New Directions in Mental Health Services 1994; 561: 73-86.

5. Beiser M, Collomb H. Mastering change. Epidemiological and case studies in Senegal, West Africa. Am J Psychiatr 1981; 138: 455-9.

6. Coles R. Farewell to the South. Atlantic Monthly Press; 1972. p. 386-7.

7. Birman D. Biculturalism and perceived confidence of latino immigrant adolescents. Am J Commun Psychol 1998; 26: 771-8.

8. DeSantis L, Ugarriza, D. Potential for intergenerational conflict in Cuban and Haitian immigrant families. Arch Psychiatr Nurs 1995; 9: 354-64.

9. Vega WA, Kolody B, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Alderete E, Catalano R, Caraveo-Anduaga J. Lifetime prevalence of DSM IIIR psychiatric disorders among urban and rural Mexican Americans in California. Archives of General Psychiatry 1998; 55: 771-8.

10. Vives J, Lartigue T, (comps.) Apego y vínculo materno-infantil. Guadalajara: U de G/Asociación Psicoanalítica Jalisciense, 1994.