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This mixed methods exploratory study illustrates the influence of pervasive misconceptions about Islam on the experiences of 314 adult Muslims across the United States. Quantitative results suggest that Muslim stress levels are comparable to the stress levels of other marginalized groups in the United States. Qualitative analysis revealed four themes that highlight the challenges faced by Muslims as well as their resiliency in the face of microaggressions and marginalization. Family therapists may utilize these personal accounts to expand their understanding of Muslim experiences, and to reflect on their own implicit biases toward Muslims in order to reduce chances of premature termination. Clinical implications include using resiliency-based models and creating collaborative partnerships with community leaders when working with this religious minority group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore how African-American youth cope with the diagnosis and treatment of parental breast cancer, and to identify culturally sensitive ways to recruit and sustain participation of this vulnerable population in intervention programs. Methods: Three qualitative focus groups which were part of a larger study were conducted with 12 African-American youth between the ages of 11 and 18, currently coping with parental breast cancer from the Northeastern part of the United States. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis. Results: African-American youth described fear and uncertainty about the mortality of their parent, their unpredictable future, and discomfort in negotiating breast cancer's relationship with the entire family. Four primary themes emerged which were coping with cancer, it affects us too, changes in family functioning, and growth through pain. African-American youth described feeling overlooked by their families and oncology staff treating their parents, often being in the role of protecting their parents physically and emotionally. Conclusions: This study suggests that clinicians can improve the care of African-American breast cancer patients and their adolescent children by being more family-centered. Adolescents need more developmentally appropriate preparation for the family changes likely to occur when a parent is diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. Developing a support group comprised of other youth coping with parental breast cancer from diagnosis throughout treatment was described as a preferred intervention to promote a shared understanding in order to overcome feelings of isolation, worry, and fear. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Family time” is reflected in the process of building and fortifying family relationships. Whereas such time, free of obligatory work, school, and family maintenance activities, is purchased by many families using discretionary income, we explore how low-income mothers make time for and give meaning to focused engagement and relationship development with their children within time constraints idiosyncratic to being poor and relying on welfare. Longitudinal ethnographic data from 61 low-income African American, European American, and Latina American mothers were analyzed to understand how mothers construct family time during daily activities such as talking, play, and meals. We also identify unique cultural factors that shape family time for low-income families, such as changing temporal orientations, centrality of television time, and emotional burdens due to poverty. Implications for family therapy are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using ethnographic data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, we examined time obligations and resource coordination of low-income mothers. Longitudinal data from 75 African American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White families residing in Chicago, including information on daily routines, perceptions of time, and access to resources, were gathered via participant observation and intensive semistructured interviews over 4 years. Results indicated that families constantly improvised daily rhythms to obtain and sustain resources, including child care, transportation, and social services. Participants were proactive in identifying and coordinating resources to transition from we(fare to work or to maintain paid employment. Strategies used to coordinate resources and the cost associated with the inability to do so are discussed. Polio, and social sera, ice recommendations are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective therapy with Black-White multiracial couples begins with therapist work on self attitudes and with sensitive assessment of the ways racism and race may or may not be connected to a couple's problems. We suggest ways to begin to explore self attitudes and suggest basic assessment questions for work with Black-White couples. In addition, we point out important clinical issues that may come up for Black-White couples in the areas of social support/social network, parenting, and grief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the researches conducted on children of servicemen missing in action (MIA) and sibling relationships in farm transfers that provide opportunity for discussion of clinical interventions relevant to ambiguous loss. The study of adult children of MIAs is exemplary of the postmodern shift toward inquiring about the influences of non-normative life events on the relational dynamics and life course trajectories of families and their constituent members. Perception of, and therefore adaptation and response to, loss are closely related to timing. Part of the adaptation process entails understanding of self, or identity, at the time of loss. Identity issues then become a critical consideration when working to adapt to ambiguous loss and change. Similar to adopted children, children of MIAs deal with identity issues as they ponder historical linkages to the past and how those linkages will manifest themselves in the future. Identity not only affects adaptation to loss but also the response. Ambiguous loss can be compounded by ongoing ambiguous responses to the loss. For children of MIAs, one parent may be physically absent but psychologically present, while the grieving parent may be physically present, but psychologically absent. In this form of complicated ambiguous loss, the child enters a forced or self-imposed denial by either joining in the instrumental and expressive tasks or moving into a functional, self-preservation mode.

Since its inception, family therapy (FT) has been distinguished by its explicit theoretical and practical focus on families and relationships as systems, with an emphasis on second order rather than first order change. As a result of these conceptual underpinnings we suggest that FT needs to look for manifestations of change which differ from individually focused disciplines such as clinical psychology. Studies of second order change have most commonly appeared in the form of conceptual papers and doctoral dissertations. We begin by revisiting the conceptual underpinnings of second order change. Building on this framework, we develop these aspects of change within the framework of recent developments in the empirical study of change. Finally, we point towards some promising directions for further evaluative work of FT as well as ways to incorporate some of these principles into training of FT students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty children in foster care, ages 8 to 15 years, provided advice to children in care, foster parents and child welfare workers about ways to assist service delivery during the transition into foster care. The children discussed the importance of tending to experiences such as foster home expectations, the importance of time and information, the new foster/parent–child relationship, coping with stress, the ability to be engaged in decision-making, the benefits of foster care and the need to build a trusting and personal relationship between children in care and their caregivers. The importance of listening to children's experiences of the transition into foster care and incorporating their advice into future research, policy and practice will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study describes experiences of cancer care delivery for nine African-American breast cancer patients. Three focus groups captured participants' experiences with the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and parenting their children. Spontaneous accounts describing their interactions with oncology staff were reported by all breast cancer patients. Content analysis revealed five themes: interaction with physicians, power and authority of physicians, collaboration between physicians and mental health professionals, navigating the system, and involvement of the family in the treatment process. These themes may help in developing culturally sensitive training programs for oncology providers to improve the quality of cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative focus group study describes posttraumatic growth experiences of African American adolescents currently coping with parental breast cancer. Twelve adolescents participated in three focus groups assessing their experiences with parental cancer. Spontaneous accounts of posttraumatic growth were reported by all participants. A content analysis revealed reports in four of the five domains of posttraumatic growth identified by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996) which included: greater appreciation for life, enhanced interpersonal relationships, increased sense of personal strengths, and changed priorities. An additional domain, change in health behaviors and attitudes, also emerged. These findings add important knowledge to the developing field of research in posttraumatic growth in populations where available research is scarce, especially among adolescents and racial minorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]