Parenting Practices among Dominican and Puerto Rican Mothers

Abstract

This study presents descriptive qualitative data about Latino parenting practices in an urban context. Focus groups were conducted with Dominican and Puerto Rican mother-adolescent pairs in the Bronx borough of NewYork City. When parenting style typologies are integrated with the Latino cultural components familismo, respeto, personalismo, and simpatía, Latino parenting practices and their underlying styles are better understood. Content analysis of parents' focus groups revealed five essential Latino parenting practices: (1) ensuring close monitoring of adolescents; (2) maintaining warm and supportive relationships characterized by high levels of parent-adolescent interaction and sharing; (3) explaining parental decisions and actions; (4) making an effort to build and improve relationships; and (5) differential parenting practices based on adolescents' gender. Mothers reported concerns related to the risks associated with living in an urban area, exposure to different cultural values, and opportunities for engaging in risky behaviors. Adolescents' recommendations for effective parenting strategies were similar to the practices reported by their mothers. The study has important applied implications for culturally competent social work practice with Latino adolescents and their families.

Familism through a developmental lens.

“…Attitudinal adolescent familism has been associated with the perception of parents serving as legitimate sources of guidance and authority ( Bush, Supple, & Lash, 2004), such as for making decisions about dating ( Guilamo-Ramos et al, 2007). This perception of parents' legitimate authority leads to improved family functioning as well as positive adolescent outcomes, including less distress and more prosocial behaviors (e.g., Kuperminc et al, 2009).…”

Parent–Child Cultural Value Gaps and Depressive Symptoms Among Mexican American Youth

“…Specifically, youth are expected to obey and respect their elders. Indeed, research has established that respect for parental authority is paramount for Mexican American families (Calzada et al 2010;Guilamo-Ramos et al 2007;Livas-Dlott et al 2010;Zucker and Howes 2009). Diaz-Guerrero (1994) termed this defining core value as affiliative obedience.…”

“…In a series of cross-national studies, these investigators found that, relative to youth in the United States, youth in Mexico endorsed higher affiliative obedience (DiazGuerrero 1994;Holtzman et al1975). It is important to note the affiliative obedience has been termed respeto (respect) in other research (e.g., Calzada et al 2010;Guilamo-Ramos et al 2007).…”

Predictors of Adolescent Sexual Intentions and Behavior: Attitudes, Parenting, and Neighborhood Risk

“…For example, Cuban American college students reported that their mothers were more protective than college students of Colombian, Venezuelan, or European descent (Escovar & Escovar, 1985). One study theorized that among Dominican and Puerto Rican families, the tenets of Latino parenting create an environment of close monitoring and a warm, supportive relationship (Guilamo-Ramos, Dittus, Jaccard, Bouris, & Acosta, 2007). A study of parenting styles among African…”