RSS-Feed abonnieren
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1225952
Mental Health Considerations for Speech-Language Services with Bilingual Spanish-English Speakers
Publikationsverlauf
Publikationsdatum:
26. August 2009 (online)
![](https://www.thieme-connect.de/media/ssl/200903/lookinside/thumbnails/10.1055-s-0029-1225952-1.jpg)
ABSTRACT
Understanding communicatively impaired minority individuals may involve going beyond strictly linguistic and communicative domains. In particular, considering the psychoemotional aspects impacting these clients may be extremely helpful for treating them and enhancing their response to therapy. This article provides an overview of issues on minority bilingual individuals that are relevant to professionals in mental health and speech-language pathology. We use Hispanics, the fastest growing minority in the United States, for illustration. The material discussed in this article highlights some of the benefits of collaborative communication between mental health professionals and speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Such communication would enhance SLPs' understanding of the interesting interconnections among emotions, culture, and language in immigrant and minority persons with valuable applications to therapeutic services with these individuals.
KEYWORDS
Hispanic - mental health - disparities - acculturation - communication disorders
REFERENCES
- 1 Evans D, Price J, Barron W. Profiles of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 Census of Population and Housing. Washington, DC; U.S. Department of Commerce 2001
- 2 U.S. Bureau of the Census .The Hispanic Population in the United States: March 1990. Current Population Reports, Series P-20. Washington, DC; U.S. Bureau of the Census 1991
- 3 Passel J, Cohn D US. Population Projections: 2005–2050. Washington, DC; Pew Hispanic Center 2008
-
4 Garcia-Preto N.
Latino families: an overview . In: McGoldrick M, Giordano J, Garcia-Preto N Ethnicity and Family Therapy. 3rd ed. New York, NY; Guilford Press 2005: 153-165 - 5 Altarriba J, Bauer L M. Counseling the Hispanic client: Cuban Americans, Mexican Americans, and Puerto Ricans. J Couns Dev. 1998; 76 389-396
- 6 Hakimzadeh S, Cohn D. English Usage among Hispanics in the United States. Washington, DC; Pew Hispanic Center 2007
- 7 Vega W A, Kolody B, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Alderete E, Catalano R, Caraveo-Anduaga J. Lifetime prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders among urban and rural Mexican Americans in California. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998; 55(9) 771-778
- 8 Alegría M, Canino G, Shrout P E et al.. Prevalence of mental illness in immigrant and non-immigrant U.S. Latino groups. Am J Psychiatry. 2008; 165(3) 359-369
-
9 Marin G.
Issues in the measurement of acculturation among Hispanics . In: Gersinger KF Psychological Testing of Hispanics. Washington, DC; American Psychological Association 1992 -
10 Vega W A, Alegria M.
Latino mental health and treatment in the United States . In: Aguirre-Molina M, Molina C, Zambrana R Health Issues in the Latino Community. San Francisco, CA; Jossey-Bass 2001: 179-208 - 11 Flores G. Culture and the patient-physician relationship: achieving cultural competency in healthcare. J Pediatr. 2000; 136 14-23
- 12 Pew Hispanic Center .Changing Faiths: Latinos and the Transformation of American Religion. Washington, DC; Pew Hispanic Center 2007
- 13 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity—A Supplement to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD; Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General 2001
- 14 Alegría M, Mulvaney-Day N, Woo M, Torres M, Gao S, Oddo V. Correlates of past-year mental health service use among Latinos: results from the National Latino and Asian American Study. Am J Public Health. 2007; 97(1) 76-83
- 15 Marcos L R. Bilinguals in psychotherapy: language as an emotional barrier. Am J Psychother. 1976; 30(4) 552-560
- 16 Guttfreund D G. Effects of language usage on the emotional experience of Spanish-English and English-Spanish bilinguals. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1990; 58(5) 604-607
- 17 Altarriba J. Does cariño equal “liking”? A theoretical approach to conceptual nonequivalence between languages. Int J Biling. 2003; 7 305-322
- 18 Hall G CN. Psychotherapy research with ethnic minorities: empirical, ethical, and conceptual issues. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2001; 69(3) 502-510
- 19 American Psychological Association .Guidelines and principles for accreditation. Available at: http://www.apa.org/ed/gp2000.html Accessed July 20, 2008
- 20 Dana R H. Culturally competent MMPI assessment of Hispanic populations. Hisp J Behav Sci. 1995; 17 305-319
- 21 Sue S. Psychotherapeutic services for ethnic minorities. Two decades of research findings. Am Psychol. 1988; 43(4) 301-308
- 22 Sue S. In search of cultural competence in psychotherapy and counseling. Am Psychol. 1998; 53(4) 440-448
- 23 National Institutes of Health .NIH guidelines on the inclusion of women and minorities as subjects in clinical research. Available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not94-100.html Accessed July 20, 2008
-
24 Sue S, Zane N.
Ethnic minority populations have been neglected by evidence-based practices . In: Norcross JC, Beutler LE, Levant RF Evidence-Based Practices in Mental Health: Debate and Dialogue on the Fundamental Questions. Washington, DC; American Psychological Association 2006 338-345 359-361 - 25 Comas-Diaz L. Latino healing: the integration of ethnic psychology into psychotherapy. Psychother Theory Res Pract Train. 2006; 43 436-453
- 26 Santiago-Rivera A L, Arredondo P, Gallardo-Cooper M. Counseling Latinos and La Familia: A Practical Guide. Thousand Oaks, CA; Sage 2002
- 27 Brice A E. The Hispanic Child: Speech, Language, Culture, and Education. Boston, MA; Allyn & Bacon 2002
-
28 Marin G.
The experiences of being a Hispanic in the United States . In: Lonner WJ, Malpass RS Psychology and Culture. Boston, MA; Allyn & Bacon 1994: 23-27 - 29 Santiago-Rivera A. Developing a culturally sensitive treatment modality for bilingual Spanish-speaking clients: incorporating language and culture in counseling. J Couns Dev. 1995; 74 12-17
- 30 Anez L, Silva M, Paris M, Bedregal L. Engaging Latinos through the integration of cultural values and motivational interviewing principles. Prof Psychol Res Pr. 2008; 39 153-159
- 31 Zuniga M E. Dichos as metaphorical tools for resistant Latino clients. Psychotherapy. 1991; 28 480-483
- 32 Aviera A. “Dichos” therapy group: a therapeutic use of Spanish language proverbs with hospitalized Spanish-speaking psychiatric patients. Cult Divers Ment Health. 1996; 2(2) 73-87
- 33 Acosta F, Cristo M. Development of a bilingual interpreter program: an alternative model for Spanish-speaking services. Prof Psychol. 1981; 12 474-482
- 34 Zayas L H, Cabassa L J, Perez M C, Cavazos-Rehg P A. Using interpreters in diagnostic research and practice: pilot results and recommendations. J Clin Psychiatry. 2007; 68(6) 924-928
- 35 Sue S, Fujino D C, Hu L T, Takeuchi D T, Zane N WS. Community mental health services for ethnic minority groups: a test of the cultural responsiveness hypothesis. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1991; 59(4) 533-540
- 36 Altarriba J, Santiago-Rivera A. Current perspectives on using linguistic and cultural factors in counseling the Hispanic client. Prof Psychol Res Pr. 1994; 25 388-397
- 37 Santiago-Rivera A L, Altarriba J. The role of language in therapy with the Spanish-English bilingual client. Prof Psychol Res Pr. 2002; 33 30-38
- 38 Heredia R R, Altarriba J. Bilingual language mixing: why do bilinguals code-switch?. Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2001; 10 164-168
- 39 Altarriba J, Mathis K M. Conceptual and lexical development in second language acquisition. J Mem Lang. 1997; 36 550-568
- 40 Altarriba J, Canary T M. Affective priming: the automatic activation of arousal. J Multilingual Multicult Dev. 2004; 25 248-265
- 41 Sutton T M, Altarriba J, Gianico J L, Basnight Brown D M. The automatic access of emotion: emotional Stroop effects in Spanish-English bilingual speakers. Cogn Emotion. 2007; 21 1077-1090
- 42 Santiago-Rivera A, Altarriba J, Poll N, Gonzalez-Miller N, Cragun C. Therapists' views on working with the bilingual Spanish-English speaking client: a qualitative investigation. Prof Psychol Res Pr. 2009; , In press
- 43 Castano M, Biever J, Gonzalez C, Anderson K. Challenges of providing mental health services in Spanish. Prof Psychol Res Pr. 2007; 38 667-673
- 44 Biever J, Castano M, de las Fuentes C et al.. The role of language in training psychologists to work with Hispanics clients. Prof Psychol Res Pr. 2002; 33 330-336
- 45 Acevedo-Polakovich I D, Reynaga-Abiko G, Garriot P O et al.. Beyond instrument selection: cultural considerations in the psychological assessment of US Latinas/os. Prof Psychol Res Pr. 2007; 38 375-384
-
46 Brozgold A, Centeno J G.
Sociocultural, societal, and psychological aspects of bilingualism: variables, interactions, and therapeutic implications in speech-language pathology . In: Centeno JG, Anderson RT, Obler LK Communication Disorders in Spanish Speakers: Theoretical, Research, and Clinical Aspects. Clevedon, United Kingdom; Multilingual Matters 2007: 67-81
1 The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines “Hispanic or Latino” as “a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.” For that purpose, we use the terms “Hispanic” or “Latino” interchangeably in this article.
Jeanette AltarribaPh.D.
Department of Psychology, Social Science 369, University at Albany, State University of New York
1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222
eMail: Ja087@albany.edu