Emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity and competence in research and intervention approaches, this handbook offers unrivalled coverage of the psychology of all Latino groups in the United States.

How can psychology contribute to our understanding of Hispanics in the United States? Edited by Amado M. Padilla, Hispanic Psychology offers students, researchers, and practitioners the most contemporary and complete view of psychological writings available today. The topics tackled by a team of social scientists include adaptation to a new culture in the United States, the role of the family in acculturation, ethnic identification for Hispanics, health and mental health service and research needs of Hispanics, and changing gender roles in Hispanic culture. This volume examines such complex subjects as Chicano male gang members, homeless female AIDS victims, and educational resiliency of students with authority and perceptivity. This book brings together diverse psychological issues that will spark an interest in anyone wishing to have a current perspective on the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. "Libraries serving graduate students in the areas of psychology, education, child development, or Latino studies should find this book helpful." --Choice "The growing presence and relevance of ethnic and cultural issues in many mental health disciplines has a cogent demonstration in this handsome volume. The strength of this volume is in its well-conceived and realized research studies. Indeed, the "new scholarship" of conceptual models, measurement instruments, and interpretive approaches, drawing heavily on the social context in which Hispanics live, gives this book a prominent place among its peers. This volume will become a landmark in the task of defining the realities and the fate of Hispanics in the United States of the twenty-first century." --Renato D. Alacrón in Transcultural Psychiatric Research Review

This compilation of conference proceedings consists of 44 separate "chapters" or selections that are spread over about ten sections. The sections deals with such topics as historical and epistemological factors, cognitive and intellectual perspectives, and clinical and mental health.

Includes established theories and cutting-edge developments. Presents the work of an international group of experts. Presents the nature, origin, implications, an future course of major unresolved issues in the area.

Latinos are the fastest growing and largest minority group in the United States. In 2008, this group numbered over 47 million; by 2050, the population is expected to triple, reaching 133 million. Traditionally, Latinos have immigrated to large urban centers (e.g., New York, Los Angeles) that over long periods of time developed a complex infrastructure to receive new immigrants. Increasingly, new Spanish-speaking immigrants are moving into areas of the country previously unfamiliar to them. Although urban co-ethnic communities continue to be the destination of many newcomers, immigrants from Mexico, Central America, and South America in pursuit of low-skilled labor opportunities are settling in small towns and rural areas of the South and Midwest. This new demographic trend has resulted in the creation of the term "new growth communities," which refers to small rural areas that are now home to a small but rapidly growing Hispanic population. Unfortunately, these communities, which are now present in many states across the country (e.g., Illinois, North Carolina), lack the infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of Latino immigrants (e.g., access to health care, immigration assistance, and breaking down language barriers). The lack of an infrastructure and the lack of an established ethnic community to facilitate the assimilation of new immigrants present an ongoing challenge, especially in the area of Latino mental health. The volume focuses on dealing with systemic issues and on providing innovative ideas for development of infrastructure of services. This text will advance ways to understand and ameliorate mental health disparities both from research and experiential perspectives.

Forensic psychology has mushroomed into a diverse and increasingly complex field that is equal parts law and psychology. Psychologists act as expert witnesses in legal cases - sometimes without knowing much about the laws involved, and legal professionals rely on the assessment of psychologists sometimes without knowing much about how such assessments are made. The purpose of this handbook is to provide professionals with current, practical, and empirically based information to guide their work in forensic settings, or to better their understanding of the issues and debates in forensic psychology.Divided into four sections, the Handbook of Forensic Psychology covers basic issues, assessment, mental disorders and forensic psychology, and special topics. The basic issue chapters present a primer on law for the psychologist, a primer on psychology for attorneys, an overview of ethical issues relevant to forensic psychology, and a chapter on forensic report writing. The assessment section discusses factors and measures relevant for assessing a variety of behaviors, propensities, and capabilities, including dangerousness, violence, suicide, competency, substance abuse, PTSD and neuropsychological evaluations, as well as discussing interviewing children and child custody evaluations. Additional chapters discuss eyewitness testimony, recovered memory, polygraphs, sexual harassment, juror selection, and issues of ethnicity in forensic psychology.

Essential reading for health and mental health administrators, community agencies, and policy makers as well as students and general interest readers, this book details the state of the physical and mental health of many Latina/o American groups. While Latina/o Americans originate from more than 25 countries, most health or mental health texts largely focus on Mexican Americans and often fail to address other Latina/o groups, such as South Americans, Central Americans, Puerto Ricans, and others. Moreover, most works address either health or mental health, but not both together. In contrast, Latina/o American Health and Mental Health addresses both the health and mental health of diverse Latina/o heritage groups. An interdisciplinary approach enables readers to identify both similar and divergent areas that affect the health and mental health of Latina/o Americans. Strengths-based and social justice perspectives, rather than a deficit perspective, guide the work in its assessment of disparities among treatment for different groups. This text is ideal for graduate students, practitioners, researchers, and policy makers in public health, community health, family studies, psychology, counseling, social work, and Latina/o studies who are interested in understanding Latina/o health and mental health in the United States and providing culturally responsive services.