Understanding the Role of Culture in Shaping Family Risk and Protective Factors
The interviewees’ confessions in the videos show that each individual is affected differently by their cultural background. In other words, their cultural backgrounds make them think things differently. Apart from that, the cultural messages that they get from those around them and even those from their family circle also affect them. Therefore, cultural messages will generally shape people’s behavior, perception, and norms, thus impacting risks and protective factors (Van Hook, 2019). The first way cultural messages will influence risk and protective factors among these individuals with diverse backgrounds is by affecting their attitudes toward help-seeking. Cultural messages can affect the way such individuals seek help in case of mental illness or in case they need counseling. Discrimination of the Majority against minority groups, for instance, can make the minority stigma when in need of mental and emotional help (Admin Account, 2019). They may think that they can be easily judged and further discriminated against. Cultural values are the second way cultural messages influence risk and protective factors. Cultural values and beliefs can do this by influencing family dynamics and individual decision-making processes (Van Hook, 2019). For instance, families that give priority to education or have strong religious beliefs can have protective factors against risky habits like delinquency and substance abuse. For example, in the video, one can see that minority groups like African Americans and Latin Americans are highly likely to be spiritual or conservative, thus influencing their perception of the counselor and even counseling as a treatment (Admin Account, 2019). Also, cultural messages may affect social support networks. Cultural messages influence the way support networks function and their makeup. Hence, for some people, like the minority communities, the extended family can be a significant source of social support. In contrast, for some people, social support may come only from the nuclear family or friends.
References
Admin Account (2019, February 25). Faculty Talks: Working with African American Clients and Families. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9ERv_QJbBM
Van Hook, M. P. (2019). Social Work Practice with Families: A Resiliency-Based Approach. United States: Oxford University Press.
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Question 
After reading Ch. 4 of your textbook and watching the recorded lecture and short YouTube video clip, think about working with a diverse family (culturally or otherwise diverse) and discuss ways in which cultural messages influence risk and protective factors with these groups.
Understanding the Role of Culture in Shaping Family Risk and Protective Factors