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Objective: This article reports on a qualitative study, phenomenological approach, with a sample of Latinx fathers of transgender and gender‐diverse people. Background: Research shows that acceptance by parental figures is crucial for the development and well‐being of transgender and gender diverse people. However, little research has focused on the experiences of fathers. Specific to Latinx fathers, cultural values, beliefs, and traditions might be instrumental in their journey toward accepting their transgender and gender diverse child. Methods: A descriptive, phenomenological approach was used in this study with Latinx fathers (N = 8). In‐depth, semistructured interviews were completed to explore the lived experiences of the fathers. Results: Qualitative analysis yielded seven main themes: (a) fear of safety and desire to protect child; (b) difficulties adjusting to child's identity; (c) seeking out information and support from other Latinx families; (d) understanding, respect, and empathy; (e) increased sense of involvement and responsibility on LGBTQ+ issues; (f) positive transformation at multiple levels; and (g) influence of Latinx cultural values and beliefs. Implications: Findings provide important clinical implications for practitioners, such as creating room for Latinx fathers to process and explore how different Latinx cultural values (e.g., familismo, machismo, caballerismo, religion and spirituality) might facilitate or hinder acceptance of their transgender and gender diverse child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National and state data show low adoption of childhood COVID-19 vaccinations, despite emergency use authorizations and availability. We conducted 24 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Black and Latino parents in New York City (15 in English, 9 in Spanish), who were undecided or somewhat likely to vaccinate their 5 to 11-year-old children in early 2022. The interviews explored the evolution of parental perceptions on childhood COVID-19 vaccines, and were analyzed using a matrix-driven rapid approach to thematic analysis. We present our findings as themes oriented around trust at three levels of the social ecological model. In summary, we found that structural positionality and historical traumas of participants seeded mistrust in institutions and government. This led to parental reliance on personal observations, conversations, and norms within social groups for vaccine decision-making. Our findings also describe key features of trust-building, supportive conversations that shaped the thinking of undecided parents. This study demonstrates how relational trust becomes a key factor in parental vaccine decision-making, and suggests the potential power of community ambassador models of vaccination promotion for increasing success and rebuilding trust with members of the "movable middle." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study documents life course patterns of vicarious exposure to the criminal legal system among parents and siblings in the United States. Background: The criminal legal system shapes family outcomes in important ways. Still, life course patterns of vicarious exposure to the system—especially to lower‐level contacts—among parents and siblings are not well documented. Method: Using longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, Kaplan–Meier survival curves, and Cox regression models, we estimate cumulative risks of vicarious exposure to arrest, probation, and incarceration among parents (n = 3885 parents; 185,444 person‐years) and siblings (n = 1875; 44,766 person‐years) and examine disparities by race–ethnicity, gender, and education, and at their intersections. Results: Vicarious exposure to the system is common—but highly unequal—among parents and siblings. Racially minoritized parents and siblings had greater levels and earlier risks of exposure. For example, by age 50, an estimated one in five Black parents experienced having a child incarcerated, a risk about twice as high as White and 50% higher than Latinx parents. By age 26, an estimated 6 in 10 Black young people with brothers experienced having a brother arrested; more than 4 in 10 experienced a brother on probation; and more than 3 in 10 experienced brother incarceration. For many estimates, racialized inequities in risks of vicarious system exposure widened at higher levels of education. Conclusion: These findings provide essential context for understanding the role of the criminal legal system in maintaining and exacerbating family inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined whether Latinx parents' perceptions of personal discrimination and perception of biases against Latinx people in the United States, along with their engagement with their elementary school children, predicted their conversations with their children about discrimination, and whether those conversations were related to children's own perceptions of school-based discrimination. The study consisted of phone interviews with Latinx immigrant parents (n = 66, 71% mothers) from a predominantly White community and school-based interviews with their third and fourth grade children (n = 66). The children's first interviews were conducted in the spring of one school year, parental interviews were conducted over the mediating summer, and children's second interviews were conducted in the following school year. Results indicated that parents' perception of bias against Latinos predicted their conversations about discrimination with their children, but this effect was moderated by parental engagement, such that perceptions of discrimination only predict conversations about discrimination among highly engaged parents. Furthermore, children whose parents talked about discrimination more frequently were more likely to report perceiving discrimination from peers and teachers, over and above their earlier perceptions of discrimination. Highlights: Among highly engaged Latinx immigrant parents, their perception of bias positively predicted their conversations about discrimination with their children. Children's perceptions of discrimination from peers and teachers were positively predicted by parent discussions about bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study was designed to examine the psychometric properties and correlates of an existing measure of father involvement with infants, The Paternal Involvement with Infants scale (PIWIS), with Latino fathers. Background: Fathers' involvement with their infants is associated with positive outcomes for family members. Father involvement is known to vary by child, familial, societal, and cultural factors, emphasizing the need for further research with specific populations of fathers, including Latino fathers. Method: Addressing this need, we examined the psychometric properties of a multidimensional measurement of father involvement with infants, the Paternal Involvement with Infants Scale (PIWIS), with 203 Latino fathers of infants up to 12 months of age. Results: Results support a five‐factor model validating the PIWIS as a measurement of father involvement with Latino fathers of infants. Findings revealed moderate to strong construct validity for the PIWIS and five subscales offering unique utility for Latino fathers. Variability between dimensions of father involvement and related constructs are discussed. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggest that the PIWIS reflects a valid and reliable measure of Latino fathers' involvement with infants. Implications: The PIWIS can be utilized to deepen our understanding of the interrelationships among well‐established aspects of fathers' involvement including mental health, partner support, familial support, and cultural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To test whether fruit drink countermarketing messages alone or combined with water promotion messages reduce Latinx parents' purchases of fruit drinks for children aged 0 to 5 years. Methods. We performed a 3-arm randomized controlled online trial enrolling 1628 Latinx parents in the United States during October and November 2019. We assessed the effect of culturally tailored fruit drink countermarketing messages (fruit drink‒only group), countermarketing and water promotion messages combined (combination group), or car-seat safety messages (control) delivered via Facebook groups for 6 weeks on parental beverage choices from a simulated online store. Results. The proportion of parents choosing fruit drinks decreased by 13.7 percentage points in the fruit drink‒only group (95% confidence interval [CI] = −20.0, −7.4; P <.001) and by 19.2 percentage points in the combination group (95% CI = −25.0, −13.4; P <.001) relative to control. Water selection increased in both groups. Conclusions. Fruit drink countermarketing messages, alone or combined with water promotion messages, significantly decreased parental selection of fruit drinks and increased water selection for their children. Public Health Implications. Countermarketing social media messages may be an effective and low-cost intervention for reducing parents' fruit drink purchases for their children. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(11):1997–2007. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306488) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Context: Given our current anti-immigrant context, it is pertinent that we understand how (un)documented parents who are members of a parent-organized and parent-initiated group come to develop a collectivist Latinx identity within oppressive and marginalizing structures and policies. Purpose/Objectives: This study analyzes the processes and actions of a Latinx parent group that led to the establishment of a collectivist identity and the activation of a collective conscientização/critical consciousness amid an anti-immigrant climate. Research Design: Based on a 2.5-year critical ethnography, we analyzed data that included in-depth interviews, participant observations, photographs, and documents. In doing so, we were able to center the experiences of a parent organizing group in an elementary school in the Midwest during a period of heightened immigrant surveillance and anti-immigrant legislation. Findings/Results: Our research suggests that critical consciousness was activated among this group in three stages: (1) Stage 1 describes the actions/strategies FUV took to develop a collective critical consciousness; (2) Stage 2 details the ways in which FUV members activated (i.e., enacted) their collective critical consciousness; and (3) Stage 3 discusses FUV's ongoing efforts to nurture a collective critical consciousness. Conclusions/Recommendations: This study combats oppressive, marginalizing, and prevailing academic and public parental involvement discourse, thus having direct implications for how school officials center and support (un)documented Latinx parents and families in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Latino fathers may play important roles in adolescents' physical activity and screen time. However, informant discrepancies regarding paternal activity parenting practices may challenge studies supporting evidence-based applications. This study examined Latino adolescent-father discrepancies in reporting paternal activity parenting practices, types of discrepancies by participant characteristics, and associations between discrepancy types and adolescents' physical activity and screen time.Methods: The sample for this cross-sectional study included Latino early adolescents and their fathers (n = 138 dyads) from baseline data collected for a family-centered, healthy lifestyle intervention in a metropolitan area. In parallel measures, Latino adolescents and fathers reported paternal activity parenting practices related to expectation or allowance, behavioral modeling, and providing opportunities for physical activity or screen time. Level of agreement and discrepancies were examined using the percentage of agreement, weighted kappa statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and paired-sample t-tests. Undesirable discrepancy types included adolescents reporting lower scores for paternal physical activity parenting practices or higher scores for paternal screen time parenting practices than fathers. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics and weight status were compared by discrepancy type using between-group t-tests or Chi-square tests. Associations between discrepancy type and adolescents' physical activity and screen time were examined using multivariate regression analyses.Results: The study sample was low-income with a high prevalence of overweight and obesity. Adolescent and paternal reports of activity parenting practices had poor agreement (percentages of agreement: 22.2-34.3%, weighted kappa statistics: < 0.2, and correlation coefficients: 0.06-0.25). An undesirable discrepancy type for certain parenting practices was more likely to be observed among fathers without full-time employment, girls, older adolescents, and adolescents and fathers within overweight or obese BMI categories. Discrepancies in paternal expectation regarding physical activity and allowance of screen time had adverse associations with adolescents' physical activity (β = - 0.18, p = 0.008) and screen time (β = 0.51, p <  0.001).Conclusion and Implications: Discrepancies in reporting activity parenting practices were evident between Latino adolescents and their fathers, especially among certain sociodemographic and weight status groups. Adolescents' perceptions on paternal parenting practices tended to be better indicators of their activity levels than fathers' reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational achievement gaps exist between racial and ethnic groups in the United States; early childhood readiness, fostered in part by parents and caregivers, is crucial. To respond to this challenge, the Univision television network produced content that aired across 3 storytelling genres (scripted drama, reality, news) to entertain and educate Hispanic parents and primary caregivers of children ages 0-5 years about early brain development interventions. This pretest/posttest experimental study assessed the impact of each genre and found significant direct effects on knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions; the effects were mediated by perceived entertainment value and positive emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to identify the perspectives of Hispanic parents of children with disabilities regarding adapted physical education (APE) professionals in relationship to their child's purposeful play and transition to school programming. Participants (N = 11) were Hispanic parents of children with disabilities. Parents participated in one-on-one interviews in their preferred language (Spanish or English). Transcripts were analyzed through a constant comparative analysis. Three themes emerged from the data: (a) qualified APE professionals, (b) challenges for the family, and (c) normalcy. These themes were supported by subthemes. The results indicated that Hispanic families were not as familiar with APE services as Caucasian families were. Parental expectations among Hispanic parents were similar to Caucasian parents, but the preference for modes of communication and information differed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used data from the 2011 Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services (N = 1,420) to evaluate a conceptual model linking social background (race-ethnicity, socioeconomic status [SES]) to parental distress through children's clinical profiles and parental beliefs about the nature and causes of their child's autism. Children's clinical profiles varied by social background; white children and children of more highly educated and affluent parents were less likely to experience comorbid conditions and were more likely to be diagnosed with Asperger's. Parental beliefs also varied such that parents of racial-ethnic minority children and parents of lower SES perceived their child's condition as more uncertain and were less likely to attribute it to genetic causes. Parents of Hispanic children and with lower incomes were more likely to be upset by the child's condition. Although parental beliefs had independent associations with distress, children's clinical profiles contributed more to explaining variation in distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family food routines are important contexts through which children develop math knowledge and skills. The Food For Thought (FFT) program teaches Latino parents strategies to develop their kindergarten children's math abilities during family food routines such as grocery shopping and cooking. We examined whether attendance to FFT was related to children's math outcomes at post-test (right after program completion). Sixty-eight low-income Latino parents and their kindergarten children (M = 71 months) participated in the four-week program taking place in schools. Children's math skills (counting, numeral recognition and cardinal understanding) were assessed at pre- and post-test. The association between parents' attendance to FFT meetings and children′s math outcomes at post-test depended on children's initial levels of math skills (i.e., math skills at pre-test). Children with lower initial math skills whose parents attended more FFT meetings had more advanced math outcomes at post-test, than children with lower initial math skills whose parents attended fewer FFT meetings. The effect size of this interaction was moderate, d = 0.46. Limitations and future directions of this early math intervention targeting Latino families are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the U.S., there is a growing Latino population, in which parents primarily speak Spanish to their children. Despite the evidence that language preference is associated with level of acculturation and influences parenting practices in these families, no study has compared how Spanish- and English-speaking Latino families acquire and utilize the skills taught during parent-training programs such as Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Twenty-seven mother-infant Latino dyads received a home-based adaptation of the Child-Directed Interaction (CDI) phase of PCIT as part of a larger randomized control trial. Most infants were male (63%), and their average age was 13.7 months ( SD = 1.43). Most families (52%) lived below the poverty line. The Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System-Third Edition (DPICS-III) was employed to evaluate PCIT skills at baseline and post-treatment, as well as at 3- and 6-month follow-up, assessments. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses among Spanish-speaking (55%) and English-speaking (45%) families to examine differences in acquisition and utilization of do and don't skills at each assessment while controlling for mother's education. Results yielded no group differences in the acquisition rate of do or don't skills at any time point. However, Spanish-speaking mothers used significantly more don't skills than English-speaking mothers at each assessment. Specifically, Spanish-speaking families used significantly more commands at baseline, post-treatment, and the 6-month follow-up assessments, as well as more questions at post-treatment and at the 6-month follow-up assessments. These findings highlight the importance of addressing cultural values such as respeto to ensure culturally robust parent-training programs for Latino families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on findings from a year-long research project conducted during the 2012–2013 school year in a PK–12 school district, located in the Mountain West region of the United States, utilizing the Photovoice method. The findings in the project point to the important critical counter-narratives Spanish-speaking immigrant parents present to the larger school community when given the opportunity to have their voices and perspectives heard and recorded in written form. The article provides teachers, counselors, administrators, and support staff in schools and school districts with insight into the hopes and aspirations of Spanish-speaking immigrant parents and highlights educational practices that address issues of equity and access, as seen through the eyes of the participants in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asthma remains the most prevalent chronic illness among children. Despite the substantial body of literature examining children with asthma, few studies have examined parents' perspectives of the condition and experiences of caregiver stress. Parents of children with chronic illnesses experience elevated stress and may have limited opportunities to cope with complex emotions while caring for children with asthma. Drawing from focus groups and interviews with African American and Hispanic parents of children with asthma, this qualitative study was conducted as part of a patient-centered engagement process to inform the refinement of an intervention aimed at reducing stress among parents of children with asthma. All data were transcribed and underwent three waves of inductive analysis. The content analysis indicated that the unpredictable nature of asthma and the caregiving burden associated with managing children's asthma contributed to parents' stress, and external contexts compounded the impact of these stressors. Parents also reported having difficulty identifying how they coped with stress and employed approaches to coping with stress that they applied intermittently but encountered several barriers to enacting known or available coping strategies. Analyses also revealed that parents desired a multimodal stress reduction intervention that emphasized building relationships, allowed for flexibility, and encouraged staff-parent communication. Whereas African American and Hispanic parents' experiences of stress and coping strategies were similar, their preferences differed in regards to incorporating technology into the intervention, the credentials of facilitators, and the salience of language preferences. Understanding the complexities of stressors facing caregivers is important for developing interventions to support parents and children coping with asthma, and in particular when working with families from diverse backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective and emotionally nurturing parenting practices constitute salient protective factors in the lives of children and youth. Although social workers have influenced in important ways the scholarship associated with the development and dissemination of culturally relevant evidence-based parenting interventions for underserved populations, low-income ethnic minorities continue to lack access to culturally relevant and efficacious parenting interventions in the United States due to widespread mental health disparities. Addressing this gap in service delivery is necessary, particularly because populations exposed to historical oppression and intense contextual adversity are at an increased risk for engaging in harsh parenting practices. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the process of change that we have documented as a group of 130 underserved Latino/a immigrant parents were exposed to a culturally adapted evidence-based parenting intervention. An emphasis on describing the process of change leading to improved outcomes is relevant for clinical social workers engaged in the direct delivery of preventative or clinical parenting interventions. Thus, this manuscript will focus on issues of engagement and retention of parents, with important consideration to the importance of integrating evidence-based knowledge, cultural relevance, and key principles of social work practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Maternal controlling behaviour has been found to influence child development, particularly in behavioural and emotional regulation. Given the higher rates of interfering parent control found in mothers of children with developmental delays (DD) and Latina mothers, their children could be at increased risk for behavioural and emotional dysregulation. While studies generally support this increased risk for children with DD, findings for Latino children are mixed and often attributed to cultural models of child rearing. The present study sought to determine the moderating roles of child DD and mother ethnicity in determining the relationships between two types of parent control (supportive directiveness and interference) and child dysregulation over time. Methods The present study, involving 178 3-year old children with DD ( n = 80) or typical development ( n = 98), examined observed parent control (directive versus interfering) of Latina and Anglo mothers as it relates to change in preschool child dysregulation over 2 years. Results Interfering parent control was greater for children with DD and also for Latino mothers. Supportive directive parenting generally related to relatively greater decline in child behaviour and emotion dysregulation over time, while interfering parenting generally related to less decline in child behaviour dysregulation over time. In Anglo but not Latino families, these relationships tended to vary as a function of child disability. Conclusions Parent directives that support, rather than deter, ongoing child activity may promote positive regulatory development. These results particularly hold for children with DD and Latino families, and have implications for parenting practices and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined father and child sociodemographic characteristics in relation to fathers’ feeding-related parenting strategies and whether their parenting strategies were associated with children’s reported fruit and vegetable (FV), weekly fast-food, and daily sugar-sweetened beverage intake among 81 Latino father-child pairs. Father’s employment status, acculturation, number of children in the home, and child’s age and weight status were associated with the use of different parenting strategies. More control was associated with less FV intake, but more reinforcement was associated with more FV intake by children. Fathers play a role in their children’s diet and should be considered in future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined mothers' emotion socialization of three-year-old children with behavior problems to determine whether emotion socialization practices, as well as the relation between these practices and child functioning, varied across ethnicities. Participants were 134 preschoolers with behavior problems. Mothers were European- American (n = 96) and Latina (n = 38; predominantly Puerto Rican). Audiotaped mother-child interactions were coded for emotion socialization behaviors. Latina and European-American mothers used similar emotion socialization practices on most dimensions. Latina mothers were more likely to minimize or not respond to their children's negative affect. However, this difference did not appear to have ramifications for children. This study provided evidence for both differences and similarities across ethnicities on emotion socialization practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the relationship between parental acculturation and infant feeding style in a sample of Latino parents. Methods A post hoc analysis was performed using data from an ongoing four-site randomized controlled trial to promote early childhood obesity prevention. Cross-sectional data of parent-child dyads at the 12-month well-child visit who self-reported their Latino ethnicity were analyzed. The Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH) and a subset of the Infant Feeding Style Questionnaire (IFSQ) that assessed four primary feeding styles were administered. SASH level (low vs. high) with each feeding style was compared by analyses. Results Complete SASH data were available for 398 of 431 Latino dyads. Median SASH score was 1.8 (IQR 1.4-2.7); 82% of participants had low acculturation (score < 3). Of the nine outcome variables, four were significantly associated with SASH: 'Laissez-Faire/attention' (AOR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.06-5.13; P = 0.004), 'Laissez-Faire/diet quality' (AOR: 3.9; 95% CI: 1.7-8.75; P = 0.005), 'Pressuring as soothing' (AOR: 3.6; 95% CI:1.63-8.05; P = 0.007), and 'Restrictive/diet quality' (AOR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.19-0.94; P = 0.031). Conclusions Latino parents with lower acculturation were more likely than those with higher acculturation to endorse feeding styles that are associated with child obesity. Further research is needed to determine why acculturation and feeding style relate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Knowing how to improve the dying experience for patients with end-stage cancer is essential for cancer professionals. However, there is little evidence on the relationship between clinically relevant factors and quality of death. Also, while hospice has been linked with improved outcomes, our understanding of factors that contribute to a 'good death' when hospice is involved remains limited. This study (1) identified correlates of a good death and (2) provided evidence on the impact of hospice on quality of death. Methods: Using data from a survey of US households affected by cancer ( N = 930, response rate 51 %), we fit regression models with a subsample of 158 respondents who had experienced the death of a family member with cancer. Measures included quality of death (good/bad) and clinically relevant factors including: hospice involvement, symptoms during treatment, whether wishes were followed, provider knowledge/expertise, and compassion. Results: Respondents were 60 % female, 89 % White, and averaged 57 years old. Decedents were most often a respondent's spouse (46 %). While 73 % of respondents reported a good death, Hispanics were less likely to experience good death ( p = 0.007). Clinically relevant factors, including hospice, were associated with good death ( p < 0.05)-an exception being whether the physician said the cancer was curable/fatal. With adjustments, perceptions of provider knowledge/expertise was the only clinical factor that remained associated with good death. Conclusions: Enhanced provider training/communication, referrals to hospice and greater attention to symptom management may facilitate improved quality of dying. Additionally, the cultural relevance of the concept of a 'good death' warrants further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that investigated how Latina/o bilingual immigrant parents developed computer literacy in a program called "La Clase Mágica," a school technology partnership between an elementary school and a university. Results show that parent involvement on technology use is a powerful mechanism to enable families to reconnect and interact with each other. It also reveals that families should be included in technology education to promote language and literacy among them.

The article discusses how the Latin concept of "consejos," or counsel groups aimed to teach students good values and behaviors, has presented opportunities for school teachers and administrators to establish partnerships with Latino-American parents. It details a case study of a Latino family who nurtured their child's outlook towards education using consejo advice, and how it motivated and inspired the student to pursue his studies under the P-20 educational pipeline towards higher education.

This study investigated 86 Latino parents' intentions to communicate about sexuality issues with their children. They reported on their history of sexuality education, when they would first discuss sexuality-related topics, and their perceived effectiveness of each topic. Compared with a sample of Caucasian parents, Latino parents intended to discuss sexual abuse/molestation at an earlier age, but planned to discuss human reproduction, intercourse, and AIDS at significantly later ages. Suggestions for assisting Latino parents with communications regarding sexuality topics are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study reviews 20 years (1990-2010) of scholarly literature on parent involvement related to Latino parents. Parent involvement behaviors of Latino parents were identified and analyzed according to the dimensions of culture theoretical framework--specifically, the dimension of individualism-collectivism (Hofstede, 1984, 1997; Triandis, 1995; Trumbull, Rothstein, Quiroz, & Greenfield, 2001). From this analysis, categories of involvement for Latino parents emerged, which were then compared to Epstein's typology of parent involvement (1995), a commonly referenced framework adopted by the National Parent Teachers Association. Based on the results of this study of the literature, an expanded framework inclusive of the involvement behaviors of Latino parents was developed. Steps are also discussed for leaders to guide educators in expanding their conceptions of parent involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's society, the use technology is no longer a luxury but a need (Machado-Casas, 2009; Sánchez, 2010). Considering this, countless education stakeholders have explored the concept of the digital divide, the gap that exists between people who have access to digital technology and those who do not. Oftentimes, this divide exists between parents, particularly, Latino parents who lack access to technology and their children who have more access to it via school technology-based curriculum and the creation of afterschool technology programs. Countless afterschool technology literacy programs have been created to help students improve technology literacy skills; however, many do not offer families the same opportunity. Therefore, expanding the digital divide that exists between students and families. Based on a three year qualitative and quantitative research study, this manuscript raises questions about the ways schools continue to develop technology programs aimed at schooling ("globalized") students, yet they do not take into account that while schools are globalizing students their families continue to be less technologically developed ("unglobalized"). This study explores the digital divide that often times is present at home, creating a multigenerational gap between parents and their children, a border that children have crossed and their families have not. The study looks at the example of La Clase Mágica, a technology literacy afterschool program for student and their families, in which parent workshops were used to explore the technology needs of family members to create a program that was culturally, linguistically, and technologically diverse. The program not only helped parents forge connections with their children, but also facilitated their successful participation in society as they use technological tools to perform everyday tasks and strive to create a "familia global" (globalized family). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Where dominant models of urban school reform often regard immigrant communities as obstacles that must be managed or reduced, the two projects analyzed in this study (Alianza and the Project) regard the community as a powerful source of knowledge and as partners working towards educational improvement (Nygreen, 2009). This paper analyses the ways in which Latino parents involved in these projects, come together to learn about their communities and engage in a process of community building that strengthens their capacity to resist, if not overcome, dominant ideologies and institutions. Latino parents in these projects do more than simply challenge the narrative of reform that continues to position them at the margins; they establish their own spaces of learning and solidarity that enable them to crystallize their perspectives and become agents of change in their local context. We posit that community building is key to creating sustained long-term relationships that can survive and withstand the struggle towards institutional change and open doors for Latino community empowerment in schools and the broader society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preventing/reducing substance use and HIV among Hispanic youth is essential to eliminating the health disparities that exist between Hispanics and other segments of the population. The objective of this article is to describe a program of research involving Familias Unidas, a Hispanic-specific, parent-centered intervention, aimed at reducing substance use and HIV health disparities among Hispanic youth. This article will focus on the theoretical foundation of the intervention, the empirical research supporting the theoretical model, the intervention model itself, the findings of the program of research, and the translation of this intervention into community practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the ability of a theoretical model of the parental involvement process to predict Latino parents' involvement in their children's schooling. A sample of Latino parents (N = 147) of grade 1 through 6 children in a large urban public school district in the southeastern United States responded to surveys assessing model-based predictors of involvement (personal psychological beliefs, contextual motivators of involvement, perceived life-context variables), as well as levels of home- and school-based involvement. Home-based involvement was predicted by partnership-focused role construction (a personal psychological belief) and by specific invitations from the student (a contextual motivator of involvement). School-based involvement was predicted by specific invitations from the teacher (a contextual motivator) and by perceptions of time and energy for involvement (a life-context variable). Results are discussed with reference to research on Latino parents' involvement in children's schooling, as well as suggestions for school practices that may encourage parents' involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explores actor and partner effects on mothers' and fathers' cognitive stimulation within an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). This model allows us to evaluate whether mothers' and fathers' practices are impacted not only by their own experiences but also by their partners' experiences. The APIM treats the couple as the level of analyses, thus explicitly modelling such interdependence. The model assessed associations among marital conflict and happiness, closeness with own parents and depressive symptoms of both fathers and mothers among White, high acculturated Hispanic, and low acculturated Hispanic couples. The data used comes from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, a nationally representative dataset. Results show that marital conflict is associated with less cognitive stimulation for White mothers, White fathers and low acculturated Hispanic fathers. For high acculturated Hispanic couples, results show that fathers' perception of conflict is associated with more cognitive stimulation by the mother. Marital happiness is associated with increased cognitive stimulation by White and high acculturated Hispanic fathers. Closeness with their own parents is associated with higher levels of cognitive stimulation, especially for low acculturated Hispanic fathers as well as for White fathers and mothers. Depression was not found to have a direct impact on behaviours, but within low acculturated Hispanic couples, mother's depressive symptoms were associated with less cognitive stimulation by the father. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the temperamental characteristics of 18 toddlers with visual impairments as reported by their Anglo and Latino (Mexican American) parents. Differences in the parents' ratings of the children's temperament were related to the children's level of visual functioning and development. No differences were related to the children's gender, and only one difference was related to the family's ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined 32 Hispanic parents' perceptions of education, especially, (a) parent's motivation for their children's career choice, (b) their perceptions of education, and (c) informal means of education at home. The data were collected using openended questions and were analyzed using content analysis. Findings in this study provide evidence that the Hispanic parents' motivations for their children's education were not solely based upon either intrinsic or extrinsic elements. Instead, their motivations were oriented to a combination of intrinsic, extrinsic, personal, social needs, and future goal orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an analysis of a Latino parentgroup and anAfricanAmerican parent group in California who struggled to engage with a contentious urban school reform. Using Bourdieu's cultural capital framework, the study focuses on the institutional responses to parent involvement, and the inequality in access that occurs as capital from different parent groups is validated or dismissed. Findings suggest that researchers also focus on school district responses to parents' efforts at engagement and help highlight institutional obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there is limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of family-based intervention programs to prevent violence or related behavior problems with Latino youth and families. Although progress has been made, a number of important issues remain. In this article, the authors review several of the more prominent interventions for Latino youth and families, highlighting how they were adapted to or developed for Latino culture. They begin by discussing cultural sensitivity and how it affects the design, implementation, and adaptation of youth violence prevention programs. Following this, the authors review and discuss programs adapted for Latino families followed by programs developed specifically for Latino families. They highlight four primary components of family-based programs that have been linked most frequently to prevention outcomes: (a) improving parental monitoring, (b) increasing family cohesion, (c) increasing networking across families, and (d) empowering families to access resources more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We examined how Hispanic parents' income and education, combined with their nativity status, influenced the body mass index (BMI) of their children, compared with non-Hispanic White children and their parents. Methods. We used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 to estimate linear growth curve models of children's initial BMI in kindergarten and change in BMI through fifth grade. Socioeconomic status was measured by logged household income and parental educational attainment (less than high school, high school graduate, some college, college graduate or higher). Results. Parental education was negatively associated with children's BMI (baseline and growth) for non-Hispanic White children. Among Hispanic children, the association of parental education with growth in BMI was negative but much weaker. The weak effect of parental education was not explained by the presence of immigrants in the Hispanic population. Income was strongly negatively associated with children's BMI in kindergarten among children of Hispanic and White natives, but positively associated among Hispanic immigrant families. Conclusions. The positive income-BMI association among Hispanic immigrant children might reflect cultural differences that immigrant parents carry with them from their countries of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on how education personnel can foster a climate and infrastructure for working collaboratively with Latino families. The author argues that collaboration is facilitated when educators understand how they, as school agents, accept a Latino community's culture, knowledge, and power within the school context and how educators align their values and beliefs, as well as school policies and practices, with those of the community. Included is a review of relevant literature as well as suggestions for Latino family collaboration that can be used to guide educators (special and general) in identifying mind-sets and practices that either permit or preclude authentic collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the efforts of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Nursing to develop the Spanish language and cultural competency skills of advanced practice nursing students by establishing an elective course, Communicating with the Latino Patient. The need for this training is reflected in the literature, which has shown that language barriers decrease patient satisfaction and quality of care and increase the likelihood of medical error. Fifty-seven first-year master's students participated in this course. The effectiveness of the training was monitored during and after each course by self-assessment surveys of the participants' language acquisition. The data suggest that the most successful outcomes result from limiting class size, emphasizing high interactivity, and incorporating clinical experiences in the instruction, as well as focusing exclusively on intermediate-level speakers when resources are limited. Training can be time consuming and costly, yet graduates agreed that the training was imperative and valuable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions related to seeking eye care for their children among Hispanic immigrant parents. Five focus group discussions with approximately eight Hispanic immigrant parents each were carried out using a designed topic guide to encourage dialogue. Discussion was tape-recorded and transcribed. Qualitative analysis was performed to identify and classify perceived barriers, motivators and possible future interventions. Parents agreed they would take the child to the eye specialist for visible problems, or if recommended by the pediatrician or required for school entry. The most frequently mentioned barriers included cost and the absence of signs, symptoms or a family history of eye problems. Parents identified a need for more information about common pediatric eye conditions, especially non-obvious problems like refractive error. Evaluation of perceptions and barriers is a necessary first step towards developing culturally relevant and effective interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study investigating how an after-school Spanish language literacy program aided Hispanic American parents of students. The program was intended to help parents of children in bilingual classes develop literacy skills to be used in literacy activities with their children. The authors discuss how dialogic reading between parent and child can benefit child literacy and suggest teachers should coordinate school and home literacy activities. The project emphasized reading strategies such as thinking aloud, cubing and concept mapping and utilized journals written by participants. The study revealed how parents developed reading skills from the program and used their cultural knowledge to aid in their children's reading comprehension.

Objective. Decades of research suggest that parental involvement is vital for positive student academic achievement and thus one often-proposed solution to alleviate the poor educational outcomes of minority students is to increase their parents' participation in school. Building on a psychological motivation argument, I investigate how the symbolic effects of minority representation impact minority parent involvement. Method. I test my hypotheses with original survey data from 324 Latino parents in Chicago. Results. My analysis suggests that, as hypothesized in the symbolic representation literature, Latinos in positions of power within schools send important heuristic cues to Latino parents that change their orientations to participation and ultimately manifest as increased school involvement. Conclusions. These results support education policies that attempt to increase the minority presence in schools at the administrative and governance levels, and highlight the need for greater enforcement of current diversity requirements under NCLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fever is a common childhood condition that is often misunderstood and incorrectly managed by parents. This study uses a questionnaire about fever administered to a convenience sample of Spanish-speakingonly parents bringing their child to a hospital-based urban pediatric clinic. The questionnaire elicits information about definition and cause of fever, concerns about fever, methods of temperature measurement, and treatment modalities used by the parents. Latino parents have numerous misconceptions about fever and its role in illness. Educational interventions should target fever definition, clarification of cause and potential harm of elevated temperatures, temperature monitoring, and safe treatment modalities. Owning a thermometer is strongly associated with correct knowledge of temperature values. Providing parents with a thermometer and educating them about its proper use may lead to an increase in appropriate monitoring and medical treatment of the febrile child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the lived experience of parenting that may inform individual health practices and behavior of young, ethnic minority, primarily Latino parents, participants in a HIV prevention intervention. Narrative accounts from parents (N = 90) were analyzed to illuminate the impact of parental protectiveness and aspirations for the child. Focus groups (n = 23) were utilized to generate a nuanced understanding of young parent-hood. Self-reflective, complex, and multidimensional perspectives on parental protectiveness emerged along themes: (a) "growing up thoughtful," (b) "you gotta start thinking like a parent," (c) "togetherness and bonding," (d) "better life," (e) "the neighborhood," and (f) "expectations and pressure." Implications are discussed with a focus on integrating the concept of parental protectiveness into a strengths-based perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This randomized study tested the effects of 2 prebirth interventions, Minnesota Early Learning Design coparenting and childbirth curricula, on young African American and Hispanic fathers and their adolescent partners ( N = 154). The coparenting intervention ( n = 44) was associated with changing fathers’ perceptions of their coparenting behavior rather than mothers’ perceptions of the fathers’ behavior compared with the childbirth program ( n = 46). Fathers and mothers consistently reported fathers’ improved coparenting behavior when the coparenting intervention was compared with a no-intervention control group ( n = 64). Fathers (regardless of residence) and mothers residing with the father reported higher levels of fathers’ engagement with the infant when the father participated in the coparenting intervention compared with fathers who participated in the childbirth intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the Latino population in the United States continues to increase, so does the necessity for in-depth knowledge about their life experiences. This qualitative study sought to privilege the voices of Latino parents by utilizing focus group discussions. Specifically, participants described the life experiences that have the greatest influence on their parenting efforts. Similar and contrasting themes were identified based on participant country of origin (i.e., foreign born vs. U.S. born). Findings described the participants' commitment to being good parents, as well as the ways in which their parenting efforts are influenced by experiences of adversity and discrimination, Latino cultural values, gender roles, and resilience. The results of this investigation can inform researchers and mental health professionals working with Latino families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]