Latinxs and Family

Abstract

Latinx families and their children represent a diverse group in terms of immigration history, language, country of origin, nativity status, and socioeconomic status. There are currently 60 million Latinxs in the United States (33 percent foreign-born) with the three largest origin groups being Mexicans (37 million), Puerto Ricans (5.6 million), and Salvadoreans (2.3 million). Because 57 percent of Latinxs have household incomes that place them at 200 percent of the federal poverty level, there is more research on low-income Latinxs compared to middle-class Latinxs. Low-income Latinx families face multiple barriers, including low levels of education, limited English proficiency, racism and discrimination, and limited access to healthcare and early childcare. These financial and social stressors can undermine positive parenting and jeopardize the well-being of children and families. Despite this adversity, many Latinx families are characterized by strengths or assets that can mitigate the negative effects of adversity on children’s well-being. Latinx children have a strong, healthy start in life, as indexed by Latinx mothers’ engagement in healthy prenatal practices (e.g., less likelihood of smoking) which result in good birth outcomes. Latinx children are also highly likely to have warm, sensitive, and loving mothers and fathers who are highly motivated and invested in their development. In terms of parenting practices and behaviors, correlational studies show that many Latinx parents engage their children in cognitively stimulating activities, such as reading, singing, or telling stories, and socialize their children to value and prioritize the family (i.e., familismo) and to be respectful (i.e., respeto) of others, especially authority figures. Latinx children are highly likely to live with both parents who are likely to stay together as a couple during the first five years of children’s lives. Many Latinx children are reared to be bilingual; have a strong connection to their heritage; and develop strong social skills that enable them to easily adapt to different situations and form and sustain positive relationships with peers and other adults, thus allowing Latinx children to function adaptively across sociocultural contexts.