Working with Latino Youth

Working with Latino Youth offers counselors, teachers, social workers, therapists, and other professionals-no matter what their level of experience or cultural background-an accessible and practical guide for working effectively with Latino children and adolescents. This vital resource, which integrates development, culture, and psychological intervention, helps meet the challenge of addressing an array of culturally specific problems such as assimilation, discrimination, scholastic failure, pregnancy, substance abuse, and delinquency. The authors, Joan D. Koss-Chioino and Luis A. Vargas, present a dynamic new model for working with Latino youth that considers the individual within the context of their families, their communities, and their culture.

"At a time when America and its professionals increasingly need to be responsive to the diversity of cultures, Koss-Chioino and Vargas have authored a comprehensive overview of Latino youth, who are rich in their own diversity. This highly readable book provides a wealth of information and examples about a 'new ethnic majority' to assist practitioners in their approaches not only with Latino children and families, but also with applicability to a variety of cultures through the contextual model these authors describe."
—Michael C. Roberts, professor and director, Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas

Forward I vii
Jose Szapocznik

Foreward II
Lillian Comas-Diaz ix

Preface xiii

The Authors xix

1 Arenas for Therapeutic Intervention 1

2 A Contextual Theory 23

3 Latino Youth in Personal Contexts 43

4 Intervening in Personal Contexts 73

5 Social Contexts and Daily Activities 95

6 Intervening in Linked Contexts 127

7 Intervening in Community Contexts 155

8 Culture: The Pervasive Context 175

9 Contextual Approaches Practical Implications 204

Index 217

"A medical anthropologist and clinical psychologist tell us how tomake culturally appropriate psychological interventions responsiveto the context and developmental experience of Latino youth. Aneminently practical contribution for clinicians, planners, andadministrators." --Eugene B. Brody, professor and chairman emeritusof psychiatry, University of Maryland; editor-in-chief, Journal ofNervous and Mental Disease; and secretary general, World Federationfor Mental Health

"At a time when America and its professionals increasingly need tobe responsive to the diversity of cultures, Koss-Chioino and Vargashave authored a comprehensive overview of Latino youth, who arerich in their own diversity. This highly readable book provides awealth of information and examples about a 'new ethnic majority' toassist practitioners in their approaches not only with Latinochildren and families, but also with applicability to a variety ofcultures through the contextual model these authors describe."--Michael C. Roberts, professor and director, Clinical ChildPsychology Program, University of Kansas

"This book achieves, close to perfection, the rare combination ofsolid theory, in-depth analysis, lucid insights, and clinicallyuseful procedures. Contextual interventions are the core ingredientof a truly humanistic and effective therapy." --Renato D. Alarcon,professor and vice chairman, Department Of Psychiatry andBehavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine

"This is a must-read book for health professionals, administrators,and advocates working with culturally diverse youth. We will use itas a guide for our school-based programs and in our clinics."--Robert L. Hendren, director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

JOAN D. KOSS-CHIOINO is professor of anthropology and women's studies, Arizona State University, and adjunct professor of psychiatry and neurology, Tulane Medical Center, New Orleans.

LUIS A. VARGAS is associate professor and director of the Clinical Child Psychology Internship Program, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.
Vargas and Koss-Chioino are coeditors of Working with Culture (Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1992).

A Dynamic New Model for Working with Latino Youth

Working with Latino Youth is an accessible and practical guide for any counselor, teacher, social worker, therapist, or other helping professional who wants to find an effective model for addressing the special needs of Latino children and adolescents.

"A medical anthropologist and clinical psychologist tell us how to make culturally appropriate psychological interventions responsive to the context and developmental experience of Latino youth. An eminently practical contribution for clinicians, planners, and administrators."
—EUGENE B. BRODY, professor and chairman emeritus of psychiatry, University of Maryland; editor-in-chief, Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease; and secretary general, World Federation for Mental Health

"At a time when America and its professionals increasingly need to be responsive to the diversity of cultures, Koss-Chioino and Vargas have authored a comprehensive overview of Latino youth, who are rich in their own diversity. This highly readable book provides a wealth of information and examples about a 'new ethnic majority' to assist practitioners in their approaches not only with Latino children and families, but also with applicability to a variety of cultures through the contextual model these authors describe."
—MICHAEL C. ROBERTS professor and director, Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas

"This book achieves, close to perfection, the rare combination of solid theory, in-depth analysis, lucid insights, and clinically useful procedures. Contextual interventions are the core ingredient of a truly humanistic and effective therapy."
—RENATO D. ALARCON, professor and vice chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine

"This is a must-read book for health professionals, administrators, and advocates working with culturally diverse youth. We will use it as a guide for our school-based programs and in our clinics."
—ROBERT L. HENDREN, director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School