Running head: MULTICULTURALISM AND FAMILY RISK FACTORS

Multiculturalism and family health risks

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Multiculturalism and family health risks

Family health risks

One of the risk factors associated with such a small family includes the following.
Parenting stress, negative interaction and poor child relationships is one of the risk factors for
young families (Sameroff et al., 1993). Families with conduct problems have a higher chance of
engaging in conflicts involving discipline. There are three basic parental practices that lead to
early conduct problems. They include; high levels of parental conflicts that are common in young
families, inadequate monitoring especially with employed parent and small levels of involvement
(Sameroff, et al., 1993). Another factor is teenage parenthood that is has been found to predict
greatly offending during adolescence. Despite the fact that offending at adolescence has its
linkage to a mothers antisocial history, the age of the parents also determines the level at which
the child may engage in offensive acts. Finally, the family may be faced with a risk factor of
antisocial household behavior (Bernad, 1991). Antisocial adults select antisocial partners who
have a high level of family conflicts, inadequate supervision, and more family breakdowns. They
also become hostile to their children bringing up antisocial children (Sameroff, et al., 1993).
Some of the prevention or intervention methods include the provision of comprehensive
educational support for young and less advantaged families through the Child-Parent Centers
(Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Research Group 1982). The intervention works best to
reduce child maltreatment among participants. Another way that can be used to reduce these
family risk factors is the parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT). PCIT educates parents on how
to build a secure and nurturing relationship with their children. That increases desirable behavior
and discourage the negative behavior in children (Bernad, 1991) Finally nurse family partnership

Multiculturalism and family health risks

conducted through home visitation programs for first-time, low-income parents and their
children. The nurses encourage healthy behaviors and teach about parenting skills.

Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the existence, acceptance and promotion of many cultural traditions in
a country or a single jurisdiction associated with ethnic groups (Vertovec, 2010). It involves a
diversity of many cultures within a unique community. Multicultural ideologies focus on many
policies of advocating for equality and respect to various cultures in a community immigration
and maintaining these cultural diversities. Many people relate multiculturalism with the
disadvantaged groups like the African Americans and the disabled. In practice, the term tends to
put more focus on immigrants who are indigenous people, ethnic and religious minorities and
minority nations (Vertovec, 2010).
Multiculturalism is a common commonly get used by many people in many countries to
mean right or liberty for marginalized groups (Vasta, 2007). Despite the support of
multiculturalism is the United States and many other European countries, there still exist
marginalization of many cultures in the country. Marginalization is a social exclusion that
involves group or individual relegation to the sides of social, political and economic bargains
(Vertovec, 2010). Despite the massive advocacy of multiculturalism in most of these countries,
they still face individual and community exclusion in many aspects ranging from economic,
political and social issues (Vertovec, 2010).

Multiculturalism and family health risks

There are many ways though to integrate and assimilate difference in cultures of the
minority and majority in the affected states. One of them is reviewing laws of the country so that
there are provisions where the minority and less advantaged are protected (Vasta, 2010). Another
way is creating positions in all government agencies where these groups of individuals acquires
representation. Making clear cases for the economic, social and political importance of minority
inclusion is a primary factor in fighting marginalization (Vasta, 2007). Finally, initiating
sensitization programs where members of different ethnic societies get educated on issues of
non-discrimination and minority rights may help in enhancing multiculturalism and reducing
marginalization.

Multiculturalism and family health risks

Reference
Vertovec, S. (2010). Towards postmulticulturalism? Changing communities, conditions and
contexts of diversity. The International social science journal, 61(199). Retrieved from
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-2451.2010.01749.x/pdf

Vasta, E. (2007). From ethnic minorities to ethnic majority policy: Multiculturalism and the shift
to assimilationism in the Netherlands. Ethnic and racial studies, 30(5), 713-740.
Retrieved from
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01419870701491770#.Vb0GJvndVB8
Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Research Group. (1982). Multiple risk factor intervention
trials. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 248(12), 1465-1477.
Benard, B. (1991). Fostering resiliency in kids: Protective factors in the family, school, and
community.
Sameroff, A. J., Seifer, R., Baldwin, A., & Baldwin, C. (1993). Stability of intelligence from
preschool to adolescence: The influence of social and family risk factors. Child
development, 64(1), 80-97.