Spanish-speaking family members and non-Spanish speakers’ supportive and unsupportive communication for Latina/o/x language brokers

2021 ◽  
pp. 026540752110312
Author(s):  
Roselia Mendez Murillo ◽  
Jennifer A. Kam
Keyword(s):  
Family Members ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Language Brokering ◽  
Early Adolescent ◽  
Emotional Communication ◽  
Supportive Communication ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Language Brokers ◽  
Positive Experiences

Past research with Latina/o/x adolescent samples has found that language brokering can be a positive experience, but at times, stressful. Although many factors can contribute to these different brokering experiences, the ways in which Spanish-speaking family members and non-Spanish speakers support (or do not support) Latina/o/x adolescent children during their brokering exchanges can be a contributing factor. To better understand how Spanish-speaking family members and non-Spanish speakers can support young brokers, we interviewed 31 Latina/o/x early adolescent brokers. Our thematic analysis revealed that when brokers reported on family, the most prevalent type of supportive communication received was informational supportive communication. Brokers also reported that their family engaged in unsupportive emotional communication, but when family provided supportive communication, brokers felt efficacious and proud for helping their family. In addition, most brokers reported receiving informational supportive communication from non-Spanish speakers. Nevertheless, some brokers also reported that non-Spanish speakers provided limited informational supportive communication (i.e., absence of supportive communication). Our findings reveal what supportive and unsupportive communication might look like for brokers and how supportive communication can contribute to positive experiences for brokers.

Language Brokering, Prosocial Capacities, and Intercultural Communication Apprehension Among Latina Mothers and Their Adolescent Children

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Kam ◽  
Lisa M. Guntzviller ◽  
Rachyl Pines
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Communication Apprehension ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Empathic Concern ◽  
Language Brokering ◽  
Latina Mothers ◽  
Path Analyses ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Intercultural Interactions ◽  
General Perspective

Past research on language brokering has primarily focused on the positive and negative outcomes that children of immigrant families experience from brokering. Little is known, however, regarding the positive experiences that language brokees—the immigrant family members for whom children broker—garner from participating in this interaction. Utilizing survey data from 120 Latina/o mother–adolescent dyads, we examined whether more frequent participation in brokering was positively related to mothers’ (i.e., brokees) and adolescents’ (i.e., brokers) prosocial capacities. In turn, we considered whether their prosocial capacities were related to feeling less apprehensive interacting with people outside their cultural group (i.e., intercultural communication apprehension). Multigroup path analyses revealed that mothers’ and adolescents’ frequent participation in brokering was positively related to general perspective-taking and empathic concern; however, only empathic concern was negatively related to intercultural communication apprehension. Our findings reveal that brokers and brokees may experience benefits with positive implications for their intercultural interactions.

scholarly journals "If We Don't Do It For Our Parents, Then Who Will?" Afghan Youth as Cultural/Language Brokers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shabnam Sarwary
Keyword(s):  
Previous Literature ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Language Brokering ◽  
Immigrant Adolescents ◽  
Language Brokers ◽  
Language Broker ◽  
Sources Of Support ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Cultural Brokering

This paper looks at the role that immigrant adolescents play as cultural/language brokers for their families. Research shows that immigrant adolescents play exceptionally supportive roles as cultural/language brokers for their families during the early years of settlement. There is limited research examining this phenomenon of cultural brokering by immigrant adolescents in Canada, and perhaps no particular research focusing on Afghan youth. The paper presents insights from nine Afghan youth who through their cultural/language brokering are important sources of support for their families during settlement. It will also include a compilation of previous literature on this area. Despite the struggles of negotiating with their role as cultural/language brokers in the early years, the youth generally shared positive experiences of being able to be a source of assistance for their families. Additionally, the participants viewed their role as a cultural/language broker to be a part of their familial responsibility

scholarly journals "If We Don't Do It For Our Parents, Then Who Will?" Afghan Youth as Cultural/Language Brokers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shabnam Sarwary
Keyword(s):  
Previous Literature ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Language Brokering ◽  
Immigrant Adolescents ◽  
Language Brokers ◽  
Language Broker ◽  
Sources Of Support ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Cultural Brokering

This paper looks at the role that immigrant adolescents play as cultural/language brokers for their families. Research shows that immigrant adolescents play exceptionally supportive roles as cultural/language brokers for their families during the early years of settlement. There is limited research examining this phenomenon of cultural brokering by immigrant adolescents in Canada, and perhaps no particular research focusing on Afghan youth. The paper presents insights from nine Afghan youth who through their cultural/language brokering are important sources of support for their families during settlement. It will also include a compilation of previous literature on this area. Despite the struggles of negotiating with their role as cultural/language brokers in the early years, the youth generally shared positive experiences of being able to be a source of assistance for their families. Additionally, the participants viewed their role as a cultural/language broker to be a part of their familial responsibility

Language Brokering Experience Affects Feelings Toward Bilingualism, Language Knowledge, Use, and Practices: A Qualitative Approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belem G. López ◽  
Esteffania Lezama ◽  
Dagoberto Heredia
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
First Language ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Language Brokering ◽  
Knowledge Use ◽  
Language Knowledge ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Language Brokers ◽  
Cultural Intermediaries ◽  
Parent Child Relationships

Language brokering refers to the global practice whereby children in immigrant communities are called upon by family members to serve as linguistic and cultural intermediaries by translating and interpreting. Past research has examined the effects of brokering on parent-child relationships, mental health, and substance abuse and feelings toward brokering. A lesser-studied area is brokering effects on bilingualism, language maintenance, and cognition. This study examined how brokers perceive their own feelings toward their brokering, bilingualism, language, and problem-solving abilities through a series of semistructured interviews with Latinx college students. Language brokers reported both positive and negative experiences in addition to viewing language brokering as important for maintaining their first language and bilingualism. Language brokers also identified ways in which brokering experience enhanced their problem-solving abilities. These findings extend prior research by suggesting that brokering is an experience, which operates across cultural and linguistic domains. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Classroom Instruction for Young Spanish Speakers

1974 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-19
Author(s):  
Joyce Evans ◽  
A. E. Guevara
Keyword(s):  
Mexican American ◽  
English Language ◽  
Cultural Background ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Bilingual Instruction ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Spanish Speaker ◽  
American Children ◽  
Certified Teacher

Bilingual instruction for the education of Mexican American children, particularly instruction in Spanish, is a problem in many parts of the country. Instructional materials developed specifically for the Spanish speaking child are not always available and a literal translation of English language materials into Spanish may be inadequate and/or inaccurate. Programs designed for the Spanish speaker and taught by a certified teacher who is bilingual are preferable. When this is not immediately possible, temporary solutions or arrangements can be implemented within schools and/or preschool centers in order to build upon the child's native language and cultural background.

Housing Stability and Transactional Sex among Spanish-Speaking and English-Speaking Transgender Women

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-141
Author(s):  
John A. Sauceda ◽  
Edda I. Santiago-Rodriguez ◽  
Gaspar Zaragoza ◽  
Catherine E. Rivas ◽  
Luz Venegas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Regression Model ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Transgender Women ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Transactional Sex ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Housing Stability ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
English Speaking

There is evidence for a relationship between housing instability and transactional sex among transgender women. However, less is known about this relationship among monolingual Spanish-speaking transgender women. We compared Spanish- and English-speaking transgender women for differences in ever reporting transactional sex, and if perceived housing stability moderated these differences. Using a cross-sectional design, we surveyed 186 Spanish- and English-speaking transgender women in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the San Francisco Bay Area, California. All variables in this study were from a brief demographic questionnaire in a larger parent study. Using a multivariate regression model for moderation, we tested whether the odds for reporting transactional sex were different between English and Spanish speakers, and whether housing stability moderated these odds. Overall, Spanish and English speakers reporting similar percentages of transactional sex (52.3–53.8%) and similar scores on the housing stability measure. In the moderation regression model, Spanish speakers had 7.9 times the adjusted odds of transaction sex, versus English speakers, but housing stability moderated the probability of transactional sex in the form of a crossover interaction. That is, lesser housing stability was associated with a higher probability of reporting transactional sex among Spanish speakers, yet greater housing stability was also associated with lower probability of reporting transactional sex. Housing stability evidenced both a risk and protective role for Spanish-speaking transgender women, which highlight the importance of this basic health need.

Abstract 184: Unraveling Disparities: Stroke Literacy, Self-Efficacy, and Perceptions of Care Among Spanish-Speaking Stroke Survivors

Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Cheng ◽  
Barbara Vickrey ◽  
Frances Barry ◽  
Monica Ayala-Rivera ◽  
Eric Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Quality Of Healthcare ◽  
Care Patient ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Stroke Survivors ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Perceptions Of Care

Background: Approximately 25 million people in the US are Limited English Proficient (LEP). LEP individuals are more likely to feel dissatisfied with the quality of healthcare when compared to the English proficient, but little is known about LEP stroke survivors. Objective: To evaluate differences in stroke literacy, self-efficacy, and perceptions of healthcare delivery in English and Spanish-speaking individuals enrolled in the Secondary stroke prevention by Uniting Community and Chronic care model teams Early to End Disparities (SUCCEED) trial. Methods: SUCCEED participants were given the option of receiving the intervention in English or Spanish. Baseline differences in stroke literacy (Schneider et al), self-efficacy (General Self-Efficacy Scale), and perceptions of care (Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care and Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) were compared using T-test, Chi Square, and Fisher Exact in individuals who chose Spanish vs. English. Results: Of 487 participants, 207 preferred English and 280 chose Spanish. Despite feeling more worried about having a stroke (77 % vs. 67%), and feeling at risk of having a stroke (63% vs. 45%), Spanish-speakers were less likely to identify 3 stroke risk factors (19% vs. 33%, all p<0.05). Half of Spanish-speakers had difficulty understanding what was being told to them (50% vs. 30%), and less than half felt confident filling out medical forms (40% vs. 70%, both p<0.05). Spanish-speakers responded favorably about the ease of hospital admission or accessing medical care (80% vs. 55% and 72% vs. 53%), but responded negatively about providers spending enough time with them or explaining things in a way that was easy to understand (56% vs. 24% and 52% vs. 28%, all p<0.05). Spanish-speakers were more likely to feel that providers did not listen or respect what they had to say (52% vs. 22% and 44% vs. 17%, both p<0.05). Conclusion: Among stroke survivors, Spanish-speakers were more likely to have low stroke literacy, low self-efficacy, and a negative perception of healthcare delivery despite feeling that healthcare was accessible. Recognizing language barriers as a contributor to healthcare disparities, and tailoring interventions to address these barriers are crucial.

scholarly journals Demographically-Corrected Norms for the Grooved Pegboard Test and Finger Tapping Test in monolingual Spanish speakers from the U.S.-Mexico Border Region

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1256-1256
Author(s):  
A Heaton ◽  
A Gooding ◽  
M Cherner ◽  
A Umlauf ◽  
D Franklin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Finger Tapping ◽  
Fine Motor ◽  
Hispanic Population ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Motor Test ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
Finger Tapping Test ◽  
Grooved Pegboard Test

Abstract Objective We developed demographically-corrected norms for US-dwelling, Spanish-speaking Hispanics on two widely used tests of motor skills - the Grooved Pegboard Test (Pegs) and Finger Tapping Test (Tapping). We then examined the effects of applying established norms for non-Hispanic Caucasians (NH Whites) and non-Hispanic African Americans (NH Blacks) on motor test results from our Hispanic population. Participants and Method 254 participants living in the US-Mexico border region of San Diego, CA and Tucson, AZ completed Pegs, and a subset (n = 183) completed Tapping. Age ranged from 19-60 and education from 0-20 years, with 59% women. Raw test scores were converted to demographically-corrected T-scores with a fractional polynomial procedure and compared to a fitted curve for the original data. Results Findings included significant main effects of education on both tests (p &lt; .001), and of age for Pegs (p &lt; .001). There was a significant interaction of sex and age on Tapping, such that older age was associated with lower scores in men only (p = .02). The resulting normative T-scores were confirmed to be free from demographic influences. Using a T &lt; 40 cut point, rates of impairment in the Spanish speaking normative sample for dominant (D) and nondominant (ND) hands, respectively, were 17% and 14% for Pegs, and 12% and 10% for Tapping. Applying existing norms for NH Whites and NH Blacks to the raw scores of Spanish speakers generally yielded lower impairment rates on all measures, with one exception, Pegs ND, for which NH White norms overestimated impairment (23%). Conclusions Normative standards from other groups are not a good fit for interpreting motor test performance in this Hispanic population, which in the current instance would have generally underdiagnosed fine motor impairment. These findings underscore the importance of appropriate, population-specific normative data- even for tests of motor ability.

scholarly journals Neurocognitive Impairment in Spanish-Speaking Latinos Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the United States: Validation of Neuropsychological Tests Norms

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1259-1259
Author(s):  
L Kamalyan ◽  
M A Hussain ◽  
M M Diaz ◽  
A Umlauf ◽  
D R Franklin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
The United States ◽  
Neurocognitive Impairment ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Speed Of Information Processing ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Us ◽  
Mexico Border

Abstract Objective Latinos in the US are at increased risk for HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment (NCI). Yet, most studies in this group have included English-speakers only. We investigated the rate and pattern of HIV-associated NCI in Spanish-speaking Latinos from the US-Mexico border region by utilizing newly developed norms for this group, and compared it to previously published norms for English-speaking non-Latino Whites and Blacks/African Americans. Participants and Method Participants included 153 HIV+ Spanish-speaking Latinos (Age: M = 38.2, SD = 9.7; Education: M = 10.9, SD = 3.6; 27% female; 56% AIDS) living in the greater San Diego area. Participants completed comprehensive neuropsychological, neuromedical and psychiatric assessments in Spanish. The neuropsychological test battery employed in this study - and used extensively in prior studies of HIV- assesses seven ability domains. Raw test scores were converted to demographically-adjusted T-scores using regional norms for Spanish-speakers, and for non-Latino Whites and Blacks. NCI was defined per established criteria. Results Rate of global NCI was 39% using norms for Spanish-speaking Latinos, compared to 64% with White norms and 18% with Black norms. Using norms for Spanish speakers, domain specific NCI among those impaired was highest in executive function (68%), speed of information processing (65%), learning (51%), and working memory (50%). The pattern of HIV associated NCI varied when norms developed for non-Latino Whites and Blacks were used. Conclusions HIV+ Spanish speakers showed similar rates of global NCI to those in other HIV+ populations, when norms developed for this group were used. In contrast, use of non-Latino White and Black norms resulted in misclassification of impairment. The pattern of NCI differed based on the norms used. Present findings highlight the importance of utilizing norms developed for Spanish-speakers in the US in order to obtain more precise and valid depictions of cognition in this population.

Understanding Latino/a language brokers’ identity goals in association with parent–child relational quality

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 490-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachyl L. Pines ◽  
Jennifer A. Kam ◽  
Quinten Bernhold
Keyword(s):  
Language Brokering ◽  
Cultural Identification ◽  
Parent Child Relationship ◽  
Relational Quality ◽  
Child Relationship ◽  
Eighth Grade Students ◽  
Relational Closeness ◽  
Language Brokers ◽  
Language Broker ◽  
Parent Child

In the U.S., children of immigrant families often language broker—linguistically and culturally mediate for their family and members of U.S. mainstream culture. Previous research indicates that language brokering can have important implications for the parent–child relationship. Using survey data from 274 Latino/a sixth- to eighth-grade students, we examined how young brokers’ identity goals (i.e., “acting Latino/a” and “acting U.S. American”) and cultural identification are associated with parent–child relational closeness and parent–child destructive conflict management. Results showed that, in general, accommodating their parent by “acting Latino/a” was associated with higher relational quality for young language brokers who reported weak Latino/a cultural identification. Accommodating Latino/a parents’ cultural identity while language brokering might help improve parent–child relational quality for young Latino/a language brokers.

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