Cultural Diversity in the Development of Child Psychopathology

Global Perspectives on Resilience in Children and Youth

“…For young people who face racial or ethnic discrimination, there is increasing research on protective strategies that foster resilience, both naturally occurring and through interventions (Evans et al., ; Hughes et al., ; Serafica & Vargas, ). Research indicates strategies used by parents and families in their racial/ethnic socialization to convey pride in racial/ethnic heritage while also training children to deal with prejudice, the dangers of discrimination, and barriers to opportunity.…”

Cultural Immersion Camps and Development of Ethnic Identity in Asian American Youth

“…The objectives of cultural immersion camps are first, to enhance Asian American youths' ethnic identity so as to narrow the cultural gap with other family members, and second, to lead the youth to construct their developmental assets, such as self-confidence, self-esteem and social skills, so as to achieve better connections within the social environment. Researchers have argued that cultural institutions such as cultural immersion schools and camp programs also serve as an alternative form of "family" for Asian American youth-a place where they feel accepted and comfortable (Serafica, 1997;Serafica & Vargas, 2006). The camp staff, counselors, and peers from the cultural immersion camp community provide psychological support for Asian American adolescents by engaging them with people who hold similar cultural values, and by enabling them to receive understanding and sympathy from other camp participants.…”

The Effects of Parental Nurturance and Involvement on Peer Relationships and Psychosocial Functioning of Young Adults

“…334), the overt expression of conflict is frowned upon (Rothbaum, Rosen, Ujie, & Uchida, (2002). Other differences in the importance of friendships and in the characteristics in friendships can be explained by the differences in the values and beliefs in each culture (Serafica & Vargas, 2006). For example, in cultures where extended family networks are expected and maintained, such as within African American, Asian and Hispanic cultures, the function and importance of peer relationships may differ as these may be performed within the larger network of familial relationships.…”

“…Parke (2004) in his essay on the changing role of fathers argued that fathers were essential socializing agents. This role is especially important for minorities, where racial socialization prepares children for disparaging experiences with the general population (Lesane, 2002;Brown, Linver, Evans, & DeGennaro, 2009;Serafica & Vargas, 2006). Finley & Schwartz (2007, pp.582) showed that "father involvement was positively related to subjective well being (self-esteem, life satisfaction, and future expectations)" in intact families but not in divorced families.…”

“…Parental influence has also been found to differ by family form, gender and culture (Finley & Schwartz, 2007;Schwartz & Finley, 2005b) Although the role of culture as an influence on relationships is rarely considered in a developmental context, evidence suggests that different parenting styles are more effective within specific cultures (Serafica & Vargas, 2006).…”