Latinos

The rapidly growing population of Latinos/as in the United States underscores the profound need for counselors to broaden their clinical treatment approaches to attend to specific culture-related concerns. Latinos/as are faced with a number of social, health, and psychological difficulties that affect their need for mental health services. The negative impact of these life circumstances has made Latinos/as susceptible to a variety of mental health problems. However, because of a number of institutional and cultural barriers to treatment, Latinos/as tend not to make use of available mental health services in U.S. society. To increase utilization and effectiveness of treatment, and decrease early termination, the Latino/a population requires counseling services that will meet their needs in ways that are culturally relevant. The more mental health services reflect the culture of the Latino/a client, the more likely the services will be utilized and effective.

Latinos/as are an ethnically diverse group that includes Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, and Central and South Americans. The cultural roots of each Latino/a country are a distinct mixture of indigenous, European, and African influences, resulting in differences in cultures for each country and differences in racial makeup of the individuals of that country. As a result of this blending of cultures, the term Hispanics has often been rejected by groups who believe the term excludes the indigenous and African influences, while others believe that the term Hispanics is a generic term imposed on Latinos/as by the U.S. Census to calculate the numbers of a new population group. Consequently, the term Latinos/as rather than Hispanics is used in this entry to reflect a more inclusive and politically progressive term. Furthermore, because of the differences in ancestry among and within each country, Latinos/as vary greatly in terms of racial makeup, with a blend of Spanish, Native American, Black, and Asian descent. [Page 1193]Therefore, the term Latinos/as emerges not only as an inclusive ethnic term, but also as a term that contains a racial component as well, leading others to claim the term is somewhat ambiguous.

Latinos/as make up the largest racial/ethnic group in the United States, comprising an estimated 37.4 million people, which is equivalent to 13.3% of the U.S. population. Projections for comparative growth rates indicate that the Latino/a population will increase at a rate 3 to 5 times faster than the general population with an estimated 100 million by the year 2050, resulting in one in four Americans identifying themselves as Latino/a. Currently, Mexican Americans comprise the majority of Latinos/as in the United States, followed by Central and South Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and other Latinos/as. The Latino/a population is geographically concentrated, with 87% residing in 10 states: California, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, New York, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Arizona, and Massachusetts.

Because the Latino/a population is a rapidly growing ethnic group, the need for services to address their mental health concerns is tantamount. Latinos/as face a number of sociocultural, physical, and mental health problems, including immigration and acculturation stress, language barriers, disrespect for their culture, discrimination in employment and education, and poverty. This constellation of negative life circumstances makes Latinos/as vulnerable to mental health problems that require specific psychotherapeutic services.

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