University of Texas Pan American

“"Teenage Development & Identity in Relation to Mental Health“  

• Parent Connections Meeting • January 17, 2013: Med High Campus • Biblioteca Las Americas, • 700 Med High Drive, Mercedes, Texas

Biografía De: Noe Ramírez• Soy profesor en la Universidad de Tejas Pan American (Edinburg,

Tejas). Mi credenciales incluyen un Bachillerato en trabajo social, Pan American University (Edinburg, Tejas); Maestría en trabajo social, Our Lady of the Lake University (San Antonio, Tejas); y Doctorado en trabajo social (Ph.D.) de University of Houston.

• Cuento con doce (12) anos de experiencia directa con usuarios/clientes de trabajo social, incluyendo: (1) practica en desarrollo rural (planificador de programas de rehacimiento y enfracstura para el México-Americano; (2) servicios sociales incluyendo programas de nutrición y desarrollo humano y salud mental; (3) programas de substancias ilícitas; (4) supervisión clínica; y (5) consejería en organizaciones de servicios de psiquiatría.

• Tengo 13 anos en el puesto de profesor de materia universitaria, incluyendo clases de la maestría y bachillerato en trabajo social, incluso: evaluación clínica; política social; organización comunitaria; investigación; estadísticas; desarrollo humano y comportamiento; practica con Latinos; supervisión clínica; y supervisión de estudiantes en practica en la comunidad. Soy originalmente del Valle del Rió Grande donde pienso avanzar mi práctica de trabajo social incluso al nivel internacional.

• Para solicitar un attachment de esta presentacion llame o escriba (956) 665-3577 noermz@utpa.edu

Biographical of Dr. Noe Ramirez, Ph.D., LCSW, Associate Professor

• Associate professor, University of Texas Pan American (UTPA) (Edinburg, Tx). BSW, Pan American University; MSW, Our Lady of the Lake University; Ph.D. in Social Work, University of Houston. From the Rio Grande Valley (El Valle) where UTPA is located.

• Twelve (12) years of work experience in: (1) rural development & planning (socioeconomic, grant writing, housing, nutrition and transportation services to colonia residents & elderly persons); (2) social services (income assistance); (3) mental health (clinical treatment and work with interdisciplinary teams in acute inpatient, chemical dependency and transitional living units); (4) substance abuse treatment (drug, alcohol and dual disorders); and (5) clinical supervision in psychiatric settings.

• Teaching for 13 years----undergraduate & graduate courses including clinical assessment, social policy, community organization, research, statistics, practice with Latinos, clinical supervision and field liaison. Primary interests are in academia (research, publishing, teaching) and providing service to the local and international community.

• To request an attachment of this presention call or write (956) 665-3577 noermz@utpa.edu

Knowledge Contribution: Sections covered in the presentation

• 1. Factors associated with development, academic achievement, & teen identity.

• 2. Assessment of factors associated with conditions affecting educational achievement.

• 3. Recommendations for understanding students and their families.

• 4. Character development.

The developing student

Students have dreams• 1. A dream about who the student wants to be is like a

seed that needs to grow

• 2. A seed needs water and nutrients to grow, to develop

• 3. Education is like the water and nutrients that will help the student’s dream grow

• 4. Teaching students is like helping their dreams grow

• 5. Help students realize their dreams and nurture them with education, direct them to focus on their dream, which no one or anything can take away from them: The Dream is theirs.

Teacher and Parent Goal

• Understand Conditions and characteristics of students & their families that effect school behavior, grades, attendance, & career goals such as attending college.

Improve your understanding of teens in schools

• 1. In order to improve our ability to help them attain academic achievement.

• 2. To help them learn effectively.

• 3. To help teens realize their dreams through education.

• 4. To help teens become moral, civic-minded citizens.

• 5. To improve the lives of the next generation.

Factors associated with students & school performance

Develop-mental stages,

Intellectual capacity

LanguageChallenged

Reading Challenged

Math Challenged

Motivation, curiosity

Quality of Instruction

Peer PressureStressors &

Parental involvement

Quality of Educational Institution

Toleranceto stress,

anxiety

Values & Character

traits

Developmental Stages

• A. Early Childhood

• B. Middle Childhood

• C. Adolescence (teens, ages 13-19)

• D. Young adult

• E. Middle-age adult

• F. Elderly adult

Terms associated with developmental stages, identity, and teens:

• 1. Development / “desarrollo”• 2. Transitions—conflict that is experienced by teens and

their families as they develop. • 3. Adaptation to developmental phases (i.e., the teen’s

relation to the world, her/his capacity to relate to it, to adapt to the world).

• 4. Basic needs & Libido - constant search to meet human needs, for pleasure, instinctual drives, sex, hunger, aggression, elimination, & death.

• 5. Institutions- (education, family, marriage, religion) & their affects on teen socialization and development

• 6. fixation- when the child cannot move on the next stage of development.

Instincts

(Cont) Terms associated with developmental stages, personality, and teens:

• 7. Industry versus inferiority- a child’s strive to form a meaningful identity & struggle with feelings of inferioirty.

• 8. ego--a well developed ego is favored, it represents the teen’s capacity to control his/her urges/instincts, to keep behavior in-check, i.e., recognize and respect boundaries, other person’s feelings and views.

• 9. assimilation-integrating or using new information that may not fit the personality of the teen in their existence.

• 10. accomodation-the teen changes what she/he thinks in order to adpat to developmental stages.

• 11. defense mechanism- mental processes that may appear as attitudes people use to deal with their environment, their surroundings or others in their lives.

Human Development

Development affects the brain

Teach Teens Impulse control

Mental Health & Other Disorders in Children

• A. Mental Retardation (mild, moderate, severe)• B. Learning disorders (reading, math, written expression)• C. Motor Skills disorders (coordination)• D. Communication disorders (language)• E. Pervasive Developmental disorders (autistic)• F. Attention deficit Hyperactive Disorder • G. Oppositional Disorder• H. Conduct disorder• I. Separation anxiety• J. Post traumatic stress disorder• K. Substance abuse & dependence

Understand how students sees their world to understand how they learn

Look for the results of uncontrollable stress on teens

Assessment

Assess human development factors• 1. age-appropriate development & behavior• 2. age-appropriate physical growth• 3. capacity to integrate cognitive functions • 4. learning challenges (i.e., reading, math)• 5. medical condition(s)• 6. evidence of mal-nutrition • 7. concept of self• 8. individuation with respect to age • 9. empathy/regard towards others

•

Understand teen problems with development of identity

• A. pay attention to student issues relating to identity such as uncertainty about:

• 1. long-term goals (long-terms planning, outlook in life)• 2. career choice (student thinking, planning of a career)

• 3. friendship patterns (isolation versus relationships)• 4. sexual orientation & behavior (conflict, self-image,

self-esteem)

• 5. moral values (sensitivity towards others, justice, altrusim)

• 6. group loyalties (family, friends, peers, gang affiliation)• Source: DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Assoc.

Examples: Students’ education is affected by stressors

• Poverty, unemployment, mobility, and daily struggles to meet basic needs are stressors.

• Illness, disease & disability are stressors that may affect student learning.

• Stressors create tension in students and family.

• Stressors create physical & pyschological stress.

• Stressors lead to crisis.

Stressors of At-risk Children and Vulnerable Populations

• Associated W/ Race, Culture, Poverty Pyschosocial & Environment • 1. Racial-ethnic 1. Housing Conditions

• 2. Cultural 2. Illness, Pain

• 3. Poverty 3. Fears Regarding Safety

• 4. Institutional Involvement/engagement 4. Detachment from Family

• 5. Institutional Racism 5. Neighborhood Conditions

• 6. Immigration Status 6. Limited Literacy

• 7. Resistance to acculturation & assimilation 7. Stigma

• 8. Cultural bound syndromes 8. Developmental Stages

• 9. Culture Shock 9. Intergenerational Conflict

• 10. Dominant Language Fluency 10. Shame from Disclosure

Poverty, Vulnerability/At-risk Factor:• 3. Many families are not able to meet their basic needs

(nutrition, health, housing, transportation, safety).

• 1. In the Valley there is a cycle of poverty because of unemployment, economic opportunities not available, literacy, and many families not knowing how to use resources available in schools and the community to meet their needs.

• 2. Often, these children and their families are immigrants who may not have knowledge of resources they can use to meet their needs and solve problems.

• 4. These families are seen as being Level One and Level Two families (Weltner’s Family Levels of Functional/ dysfunctional Patterns, Adapted from Rauch, J. B. (1993).

Basic Needs

• A. Nutrition• B. Health

• C. Housing• D. Transportation

• E. Safety• F. Clothing

• G. Understanding• H. Assistance from others

Understanding Basic Needs in Children & Families

• Maslow: “Organísmic theory of motivation:”

• The goal for Parents and Educators is to understand determination and drive in humans trying to actualize or improve as they get older:

• Respect for determination and how human beings actualize as they get older:

Actual-izacion

Sentido de integridad

con el ambiente

Justicia, bienestar, orden, unidad, belleza, sentido de pertenecer en ambiente con

otras personas

Nutrición, afección, seguridad, auto estima, vivienda, recursos de supervivencia

Level Families: Basic Needs/Resources• Level One Families: • 1. These families are often neglectful and unorganized. • 2. They lack a leadership and control structure to meet basic nurturing and

protection needs of members. • 3. They are leaderless and have no one with enough power to structure

interactions. • 4. They face issues of basic needs/resources: food, shelter, protection,

education, clothing, transportation, and medical care.

• Focus: assist the family in acquiring resources from the community, school, and extended family members.

• Level Two: • 1. These families are under organized and out of control. • 2. They have difficulty setting limits, although the family’s basic needs of

minimal and safety and nurturance are met. • 3. They often have uncontrollable children, delinquent adolescents, and errant

spouses involved in extramarital affairs, gambling, or substance abuse. • 4. They often have marital conflict or marriage problems that threaten the

break-up of the family unit.

• Focus: develop a coalition of those in charge in the family against those needing control.

When a student or family is in CRISIS

• They reach out for Resources to help them solve the problem & bring stability to their lives. This is the best time to intervene.

• Focus: understand how crisis is affecting the student’s learning, refer student to school resources or community resources that can help them solve the crisis.

Understand differences between students and their parents which may be a source of stress

A Genogram is used to understand the different communication patterns in families

Daughter10

Mother48

Daughter13

Daughter18

Father54

Son 15 Son

7

As Parent Educators we want to understand the family dynamics in finding out how there may be conflict that is causing the way children are behaving and performing in school

Aside from economic and other stress in the family:

• A. Differences between parents and children often lead to stress which

• B. May leads to conflict within families then • C. Creates an imbalance in the family which • D. Leads to family members, including children, attempts

to regain stability.

• Some children and adults may behave in ways that brings attention to them and this process unites other family members as they focus on the person’s behavior or actions.

• Children, may show this by acting out, low grades, absentism, illness, skipping school, drug use, curfew violation: draws attention of parents & unites them

Differences between Parents and Children

• 1. Language differences (Spanish, English)

• 2. Value Placed on Interdependence versus Individualism– collectiveness of the family as system of support versus

independence

• 2. Acculturation Levels & Dynamics– influence of schools in socialization – types or categories defining acculturation

• unidimensional versus multidimensional experience

• 3. Differences in Parent and Child Developmental Stage• age, world view, observations of reality, self-concept

• 4. Gender Roles and Expectations

• 5. Trends influencing students today (media, pop culture, values)

Rio Grande Progreso Texas

Recommendations:• Understand conflict, its source and its impact:• 1. Language, primary peer characteristics• 2. Acculturation status, generation status• 3. Age (developmental stages), birth place• 4. Shame issues (shyness, introversion, fear of expression)• 5. Cultural awareness, connection to family of origin• 6. Clothing (trendiness)• 7. Style of discipline at home • 8. Relationship with parents (degree of conflict)• 9. Type or level of communication with parents• 10. Parental expectations of student school performance• 11. Grades, involvement in extra curricular activity • 12. Type of disciplinary action from school (reason for referrals)• 13. Student’s management of instructions from parents • 14. Other stressor, socio-economic, interpersonal• 15. Career plans, future versus current, past orientation

Recommendations for providing learning & language experiences within the family

• 1. Education Role: Help children and their families understand and continue learning about the role of institutions such as schools and human service organizations in the United States that are involved in their lives and in the student’s education.

• 2. Teach children about the importance of learning for purposes of building careers and economic security that can also serve their families in their future.

• 3. Help student learn about the agencies and helping providers that exist to help them find solutions to their problems. Provide children with a sense of security and reassurance that they will be okay.

• 4. In all encounters build trust with the student and/or the parents as a priority in order to establish the foundation for future encounters and to maximize the helping role.

Help students with character development

• Character building is a very important objective in the education of students.

• From the first years of education the function of the schools is build the Character of the student through teaching about history, science, and other courses and by teaching discipline.

• Character building actually begins at home during the first years after birth before the child attends school and through parental education and discipline.

Essential Attributes of Virtues and Character for building in children’s learning and development

1. Knowledge/prudence — good judgement, directs all virtues.2. Justice — respect for the rights of other persons.3. Fortitude/valor — doing what is correct/just in times of dificulties. 4. Self-Control — capacity to govern ourselves.5. Love — capacity to sacrifice for the good of others.

6. Positive Attitude — hope, enthusiasm, flexibility, humor7. Work — facilitates initiative, diligencie, planning of objectives, and

capacity to solve problems. 8. Integrity — adhering to moral principals, being faithful towards

moral conscience, attend to our word, and defend our beliefs (i.e., principals of diversity).

9. Gratitude — ”the secret of a happy life,”the act of being grateful. 10. Humility --- the base of all moral likfe, is needed to acquire th

eother virtues it makes us feel concience of our own imperfections and it moves us to be better with people without having to be recognized or appreciated for our deeds and help to others.

• SOURCE: Lickona, T. (2004).

Information to Know: Strengths within the MA Culture

• 1. Dignidad (dignity)• 2. Orgullo (cultural pride)

• 3. Concept of well educated (“bien educado”)• 4. Concept of “aunque pobre pero casa honrada”

• 5. Concept of responsibility (“responsibilidad”)• 6. Concept of utilization “seas util an lo que haces”

• 7. Concept respect (respeto) • 8. Concept of blessings (bendiciones)

• 9. Concept of Appreciation (ser agradecido)• 10. Concept of having faith (tener fe)

Bibliography & Suggested Reading

• Amodeo, M., Schofield, R., Duffy, T., Jones, K., Zimmerman, T., & Delgado, M. (1997). Social work approaches to alcohol and other drug problems: Case studies and teaching tools. Alexandria, VA: Council on Social Work Education.

• Ashford, J. B., Lecroy, C. W., & Lorter, K. L. (2001). Human behavior in the social environment: A multidimensional perspective (2nd ed.). Belmont Ca: Wadsworth.

• . Edwards, R. L. (Ed.-in-Chief) (1995). Encyclopedia of social work, (19th ed). Washington, DC: NASW Press.

• Rauch, J. B. (1993). Assessment: A sourcebook for social work practice. Milwaukee, WI: Families international.

• Cross, T. L., Barzon, B. J., Dennis, K. W., & Isaacs, M. R. (1989). Toward a culturally competent system of care, children and adolescent service systems program technical assistance center (Vol. 1). Washington, DC: CASSP Technical Assistance Center, Georgetown University Child Development Center.

• Delgado M. (1995). Hispanics/Latinos. In J. Philleo & F. L. Brisbane (Eds.), Cultural competence for social workers: A guide for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention professionals working with ethnic/racial communities, A special collaborative NASW/CSA Monograph (DHHS Publication No. SMA 95-3075, pp. 41-68). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Weltner, J. S. (1986). A matchmaker’s guide to family therapy. Family Therapy Networker, 10(2), 51-55.