Abstract
Immigrant Haitian parents experience acculturative stress when adjusting to the norms and expectations of their new country. This stress maybe exacerbated if their adolescent children display unfamiliar behaviors to the parents. This may result in a greater need for psychological assessments for special education programs in order to mitigate the instances of family breakdown. Following Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, there has been an increase in high-risk behaviors of Haitian adolescents. To date, there is a limited body of research examining acculturative stress in immigrant Haitian parents and how this stress may relate to their actions and perceptions of high-risk behaviors in their adolescents children. The purpose of this case study is to explore and describe perceptions shaped by Haitian parents’ (a) acculturation and (b) cultural lens with respect to at-risk behaviors in their children. The results may shed light on the cultural factors forming Haitian parental perceptions of high-risk behaviors since the 2010 earthquake. The results of the study wexplain parental understanding of the cultural aspects contributing to maladaptive behaviors and provide a platform for community leaders to design effective intervention programs to prevent family breakdowns in this immigrant population.
Presenters
Weiselande CésarEducator, Exceptional Student Education, Miami Dade County Public Schools, Florida, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Beyond Borders: The Role of the Humanities in Reimagining Communities
KEYWORDS
ACCULTURATION STRESS, HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS, PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS, HIGH-RISK BEHAVIORS, CULTURAL FACTORS
