This proposal is designed to explore the social, emotional, and educational concerns and stressors that are faced by ethnic minority families, specifically African American and Mexican American families as they parent mentally retarded or developmentally delayed children. Families are viewed as having been formed within the socio-historical context of ethnicity and race. The cultural beliefs have formed resilient shields in the past and the beliefs that are related to mental retardation will be examined. The educational and rehabilitative resources that are available to these families will depend in part upon the way these families are viewed by society at large. The ethnic minority families have to go through the establishment of all of the responses to a retarded child that the mainstream families have, but they have the additional stressors that come from being members of racial ethnic groups. Diverse economic resources, class status, and their ethnicity will make it more difficult to obtain the needed services for their retarded children.
The specific aims of this objectives of this proposal will be: To examine parental attitudes among and between African American and Mexican American parents toward their mentally retarded children, differences and similarities related to their ability to cope with stressor of having children with mental retardation, and to examine the traditional and cultural beliefs and values about the causes, acceptance, and approaches to obtaining appropriate services. In addition, special attention will be paid to parental and paternal roles as well as the extended family networks that are established and maintained.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD031893-04
Application #
2403394
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (SRC (14))
Project Start
1994-06-20
Project End
1999-05-31
Budget Start
1997-06-01
Budget End
1999-05-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Michigan State University
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
193247145
City
East Lansing
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48824