Factors Indicating Heritage Consistency
1. The person’s childhood development occurred in the person’s country of origin or in an immigrant neighborhood in the United States of like ethnic group.
2. Extended family members encouraged participation in traditional religious or cultural activities.
3. The individual engages in frequent visits to the country of origin or returns to the “old neighborhood” in the United States.
4. The individual’s family home is within the ethnic community. 5. The individual participates in ethnic cultural events, such as religious festivals or
national holidays, sometimes with singing, dancing, and special garments. 6. The individual was raised in an extended family setting. 7. The individual maintains regular contact with the extended family. 8. The individual’s name has not been Americanized. 9. The individual was educated in a parochial (nonpublic) school with a religious or
ethnic philosophy similar to the family’s background. 10. The individual engages in social activities primarily with others of the same ethnic
background. 11. The individual has knowledge of the culture and language of origin. 12. The individual possesses elements of personal pride about heritage.
28 ■ Chapter 2
4. The individual’s family home is within the ethnic community of which he or she is a member. As an adult, the person has elected to live with family in an ethnic neighborhood.
5. The individual participates in ethnic cultural events, such as religious festivals or national holidays, sometimes with singing, dancing, and costumes. The person holds membership in ethno- or religious-specific organizations and primarily participates in activities with the groups.
6. The individual was raised in an extended family setting. When the person was growing up, there may have been grandparents living in the same household, or aunts and uncles living in the same house or close by. The person’s social frame of reference was the family.
7. The individual maintains regular contact with the extended family. The person maintains close ties with members of the same generation, the surviv- ing members of the older generation, and members of the younger generation who are family members.
8. The individual’s name has not been Americanized. The person has restored the family name to its European original if it had been changed by immigration authorities at the time the family immigrated or if the family changed the name at a later time in an attempt to assimilate more fully.
9. The individual was educated in a parochial (nonpublic) school with a religious or ethnic philosophy similar to the family’s background. The person’s education plays an enormous role in socialization, and the major purpose of education is to socialize a person into the dominant cul- ture. Children learn English and the customs and norms of American life in the schools. In the parochial schools, they not only learn English but also are socialized in the culture and norms of the religious or ethnic group that is sponsoring the school.
10. The individual engages in social activities primarily with others of the same religious or ethnic background. The major portion of the person’s personal time is spent with primary structural groups.
11. The individual has knowledge of the culture and language of origin. The person has been socialized in the traditional ways of the family and expresses this as a central theme of life.
12. The individual expresses pride in his or her heritage. The person may identify him- or herself as ethnic American and be supportive of ethnic activities to a great extent.
It is not possible to isolate the aspects of culture, religion, and ethnicity that shape a person’s worldview. Each is part of the other, and all three are united within the person. When one writes of religion, one cannot eliminate culture or ethnicity, but descriptions and comparisons can be made. Referring to Figure 2–5 and Figures 2–6A and 2–6B to assess heritage consistency can help deter- mine ethnic group differences in health beliefs and practices. Understanding
Cultural Heritage and History ■ 29
such differences can help enhance your understanding of the needs of patients and their families and the support systems that people may have or need.
■ Acculturation Themes Several facets are relevant to the overall experience of acculturation. Acculturation is the broad term used to describe the process of adapting to and becoming absorbed into the dominant social culture. The overall process of acculturation into a new society is extremely difficult. Have you ever moved to a new community? Imagine moving to a new country and society where you