Puerto Rican Familism: Considerations for Family Therapy

Abstract

The Puerto Rican cultural value of familism has been described as a traditional modality that emphasizes the obligation and duties of family members to one another (Rogler & Cooney, 1984). As a core value of Puerto Rican families on the United States mainland, familism has endured the changes in cultural values brought about by repeated migrations between the United States mainland and Puerto Rico, the influences of social and economic trends in the United States, and the pressures to acculturate to American society. Familiarity with this cultural value helps the family therapist accurately define the family's problems and needs, and promotes an interventive approach congruent with the Puerto Rican family's expectations. O ver the past several decades, the employment of Puerto Ricans on the mainland United States has depended largely on the strength of the Northeast manufacturing and service sectors (United States Commission for Employment Policy, 1982). The mercurial economic conditions of these sectors resulted in low wages and unstable employment for mainland Puerto Ricans. The oscillations in employment brought about what has been termed circular (Ford Foundation, 1984) between Puerto Rico and, generally, the major cities of the Northeast. Return migration to Puerto Rico occurs when employment opportunities decrease on the mainland. Conversely, when the island economy experiences diminished activity or mainland employment prospects look more promising, a relocation follows (United States Commission for Employment Policy, 1982). Historically, this migration pattern has been facilitated because Puerto Ricans hold United States citizenship from birth, and air fares to the mainland are low. Circular migration among Puerto Ricans has engendered changes in the family's lifestyle from traditional, island values toward contemporary American cultural values. Intergenerational changes in ethnic identity, for example, taken place. Rogler, Cooney, and Ortiz (1980) noted that first-generation Puerto Rican immigrant parents hold older island values and norms more strongly than do their children. Adult children who been exposed to extended periods of residency on the mainland are less likely to speak Spanish, to reDort SDanish fluency, and to listen to Spanish-language radio and television. In a similar study, Col leran (1984) found that while Spanish is losing its relevance in their daily lives, parents and children value its importance for achievement in American society. Rogler et al. (1980) also found that the adult children clearly prefer to identify themselves as Puerto Ricans rather than Americans. Indeed, movement toward biculturalism is stronger than toward assimilation to a monocultural American identification. The identification with Puerto Rico has a special importance for the children's identities. The children, Colleran (1984) writes, have chosen to remain bicultural in their outlook, retaining their connection with Puerto Rico despite increasing cultural distance from its heritage (p. 6).