Martha Cristo - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Martha Cristo
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 2021
Trends in positive psychology suggest optimism is an important trait related to happiness and wel... more Trends in positive psychology suggest optimism is an important trait related to happiness and well-being and that through the teaching of optimism, well-being can be enhanced (Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009). The purpose of this study was to identify areas of optimism within the context of the American Dream among Hispanic/Latino/as and to understand factors that create barriers to having an optimistic outlook on achieving the American Dream. Data for this study came from research designed to identify sources of acculturation related stress among Hispanic/Latino/as. A sample ( n = 93) of Hispanic/Latino/a adults were recruited for focus groups in California and Massachusetts. Results indicate that participants were optimistic in achieving their dreams, which included financial achievements, ownership, educational opportunities, and more. Some participants acknowledged that these expectations were unrealistic and were challenged by discrimination, limited skills, and lack of legal documenta...
Professional Psychology, 1981
This article traces the development and growth of an innovative program designed to help English-... more This article traces the development and growth of an innovative program designed to help English-speaking therapists evaluate and treat Spanish-speaking patients. The difficulties and successes encountered in implementing a bilingual interpreter program in a major Hispanic community are described. Specific issues examined in the process of psychotherapy with interpreters include the roles of language proficiency, language recall, and language distortion; the use of untrained interpreters; the role of psychological education; and transference problems in a triadic interaction. It is argued that the training and use of bilingual interpreters is an effective and feasible alternative model for providing Spanishspeaking services.
Journal of Community Psychology, 1982
A unique bilingual interpreter program aimed at expanding professional services to Spanish-speaki... more A unique bilingual interpreter program aimed at expanding professional services to Spanish-speaking patients is described. Bilingual-bicultural community aides were trained to interpret for monolingual Spanish-speaking patients and non-Spanishspeaking therapists. Training emphasis and experiences with therapists and patients over a 5-year period are discussed. Particular benefits and difficulties encountered with the therapist-interpreter team approach are presented. The President's Commission on Mental Health (1978) has argued that mental health facilities must be responsive to the language, ethnic, and cultural characteristics of the communities which they service. Unfortunately, the majority of facilities that service ethnic communities do not have professional staff who are ethnically or linguistically representative. The language barrier itself has proven to be a major stumbling block for Spanish-speaking Hispanics who seek mental health services (Acosta, 1979). This article describes an innovative bilingual interpreter program that is aimed at increasing the professional mental health services available to Spanish-speaking patients in the nation's largest Mexican-American community of East Los Angeles. At present, only a few articles exist in the literature that specifically recommend the use of trained bilingual interpreters in a mental health setting (Acosta, 1979; Kline, Acosta, Austin, & Johnson, 1980). Several other clinical reports have indicated the difficulties, potential language distortions, and loss of patient-therapist communication that can occur when bilingual interpreters are used (Marcos, 1979; Sabin, 1975). These latter reports, however, have primarily considered the work of untrained bilingual Volunteers. The program. A bilingual interpreter program was developed in 1975, designed to provide Spanish-English interpreting services to Spanish-speaking patients and to non-Spanish-speaking therapists. An important asset of the program was that all bilingual staff members were also bicultural through their Hispanic backgrounds. The staff interpreters were identified as community aides, They have continued to live in the clinic's community since childhood and have experienced similar lifestyles, culture, language, and family customs as many of the Spanish-speaking patients they assist. Program training model. The community aides have been primarily trained as bilingual interpreters. In the process of interpreting, language accuracy is critical, a point *Appreciation is extended to
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 2021
Trends in positive psychology suggest optimism is an important trait related to happiness and wel... more Trends in positive psychology suggest optimism is an important trait related to happiness and well-being and that through the teaching of optimism, well-being can be enhanced (Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009). The purpose of this study was to identify areas of optimism within the context of the American Dream among Hispanic/Latino/as and to understand factors that create barriers to having an optimistic outlook on achieving the American Dream. Data for this study came from research designed to identify sources of acculturation related stress among Hispanic/Latino/as. A sample ( n = 93) of Hispanic/Latino/a adults were recruited for focus groups in California and Massachusetts. Results indicate that participants were optimistic in achieving their dreams, which included financial achievements, ownership, educational opportunities, and more. Some participants acknowledged that these expectations were unrealistic and were challenged by discrimination, limited skills, and lack of legal documenta...
Professional Psychology, 1981
This article traces the development and growth of an innovative program designed to help English-... more This article traces the development and growth of an innovative program designed to help English-speaking therapists evaluate and treat Spanish-speaking patients. The difficulties and successes encountered in implementing a bilingual interpreter program in a major Hispanic community are described. Specific issues examined in the process of psychotherapy with interpreters include the roles of language proficiency, language recall, and language distortion; the use of untrained interpreters; the role of psychological education; and transference problems in a triadic interaction. It is argued that the training and use of bilingual interpreters is an effective and feasible alternative model for providing Spanishspeaking services.
Journal of Community Psychology, 1982
A unique bilingual interpreter program aimed at expanding professional services to Spanish-speaki... more A unique bilingual interpreter program aimed at expanding professional services to Spanish-speaking patients is described. Bilingual-bicultural community aides were trained to interpret for monolingual Spanish-speaking patients and non-Spanishspeaking therapists. Training emphasis and experiences with therapists and patients over a 5-year period are discussed. Particular benefits and difficulties encountered with the therapist-interpreter team approach are presented. The President's Commission on Mental Health (1978) has argued that mental health facilities must be responsive to the language, ethnic, and cultural characteristics of the communities which they service. Unfortunately, the majority of facilities that service ethnic communities do not have professional staff who are ethnically or linguistically representative. The language barrier itself has proven to be a major stumbling block for Spanish-speaking Hispanics who seek mental health services (Acosta, 1979). This article describes an innovative bilingual interpreter program that is aimed at increasing the professional mental health services available to Spanish-speaking patients in the nation's largest Mexican-American community of East Los Angeles. At present, only a few articles exist in the literature that specifically recommend the use of trained bilingual interpreters in a mental health setting (Acosta, 1979; Kline, Acosta, Austin, & Johnson, 1980). Several other clinical reports have indicated the difficulties, potential language distortions, and loss of patient-therapist communication that can occur when bilingual interpreters are used (Marcos, 1979; Sabin, 1975). These latter reports, however, have primarily considered the work of untrained bilingual Volunteers. The program. A bilingual interpreter program was developed in 1975, designed to provide Spanish-English interpreting services to Spanish-speaking patients and to non-Spanish-speaking therapists. An important asset of the program was that all bilingual staff members were also bicultural through their Hispanic backgrounds. The staff interpreters were identified as community aides, They have continued to live in the clinic's community since childhood and have experienced similar lifestyles, culture, language, and family customs as many of the Spanish-speaking patients they assist. Program training model. The community aides have been primarily trained as bilingual interpreters. In the process of interpreting, language accuracy is critical, a point *Appreciation is extended to