Violence and Community, Terms in Conflict: An Ecological Approach to Resilience

Abstract

The authors provide a description of the impact that violence has on U.S. Latino and Mexican youth, discuss vulnerabilityfactors, and describe cultural-community resilience that acts as a buffer against violence. An ecological model is presented that incorporates community structures, the cultural values of familismo, respeto, and personalismo, and addresses how to decrease the stigma associated with seeking mental health services. It is thought that the variables and values in particular ecosystems must be examined to determine how the individual responds to the surrounding community.

Key Words:

• cross-cultural counseling
• resilience
• Latino youth