There has been a growing recognition of the role that various aspects of culture play in the theory and practice of psychotherapy. One aspect of culture that has received little attention, however, is language. Specifically, we lack comprehensive understanding of the value bilingual clients find in expressing thoughts, feelings, and experiences in two languages. Research that enhances understanding of the role that bilingualism plays in psychotherapy may thus help improve the quality of services that bilingual clients receive. To this end, we interviewed eight bilingual Latinx people (seven of Mexican descent and one Puerto Rican) between the ages of 20 and 37 about their experience using Spanish and English in psychotherapy. Using descriptive phenomenological analysis, we identified and interpreted 250 meaning units that were grouped into five overarching themes: (a) Enhancing Expression and Understanding, (b) An Affirming Experience, (c) Facilitating Therapeutic Processes, (d) Utility of a Therapist Bilingual Orientation, and (e) Strengthening the Therapeutic Relationship. Findings speak to the value for bilingual Latinx clients of being able to use both of their languages in psychotherapy. Implications for multicultural psychotherapy research and practice are discussed.
The focus of this paper is to discuss the cycle of migration and its psychological impact on the lives of immigrants. An overview of current migration trends, a discussion on the cycle of immigration (Casas, 2014), and its psychological consequences are presented. A qualitative phenomenological approach was utilized to analyze the stories of four immigrants, which resulted in a thematic analysis that discusses the cycle of immigration and its impact. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications, limitations, and future research.
The Revista Interamericana de Psicologia/Interamerican Journal of Psychology (RIP) was first published in 1967. During its fifty-year history, the goal of the journal has been to promote collaboration and communication among psychologists on the Americas through the dissemination of theoretical and applied research. The authors reviewed 1,200 articles published in the RIP between 1967 and 2016 (Volumes 1-50). The articles were coded into seven main content categories, which included type of article, research design, sample characteristics, data collection strategies, data analysis, thematic analysis, and author’s characteristics and affiliations. Results indicated that up to date, 2,688 authors from 30 identified countries have contributed research on a diverse array of psychological topics on primarily three languages: Spanish, English, and Portuguese. Data also suggest these articles are characterized by a broad range of research methodologies, data collection procedures and analysis, and sample characteristics.
This study explored the experiences of 22 mental health counselors in Ciudad Juárez using qualitative analysis. Specific foci were their experiences related to burnout and the drug violence crisis; and interventions they used to cope with these experiences. The results highlighted the prevalence of trauma related services they provide, the lack of formal supervision they receive and need for increased training opportunities and overall support. Recommendations for binational collaborations and future research are discussed.
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