[Episode 46] In today's podcast I speak alongside Dr. Elaine Congress nigh her creation, the Culturagram. Elaine too I beak nigh how too why she developed the culturagram, the 10 assessment areas of the culturagram, too how social workers tin sack utilisation the culturagram to improve their services. We cease the podcast alongside a give-and-take nigh enquiry too resources nigh the culturagram.Dr. Congress has provided a re-create of the Culturagram that you lot tin sack facial expression at spell listening to the podcast, or when thinking nigh your clients. Please consider below to catch the Culturagram.
Download MP3 [47:36]The 10 areas of the Culturagram are:
- reason for relocation
- legal status
- time inward community
- language spoken at dwelling too inward the community
- health beliefs
- impact of trauma too crisis events
- contact alongside cultural too religious institutions, holidays, food, too clothing
- oppression, discrimination, bias , too racism
- values nigh educational activity too work
- values nigh household unit of measurement – structure, power, myths too rules
Download Congress on Acculturation [01:56]Dr. Congress is professor too associate dean at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service. She is on the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) UN squad too is a fellow member of the NGO Committees on Migration too the UN International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. In improver she serves equally the North American representative on the IFSW Permanent Committee on Ethical Issues. Dr. Congress has many publications on cultural variety too ethics inward social work. She is the writer of vi books including the 2015 publication Social piece of work alongside immigrants too refugees: Legal issues, clinical skills, too advocacy, 2nd edition. When Dr. Congress began inward the social piece of work field, she firstly worked alongside immigrants equally a direct practitioner, equally a supervisor, too equally an administrator inward a community mental wellness clinic inward Brooklyn. There she worked alongside Latino immigrants from Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Caribbean, too Central too South America. Her experience alongside various Latino clients led her to prepare the culturagram that helps practitioners individualize families from various cultural backgrounds. Although the culturagram is most commonly discussed too applied inside the context of working alongside immigrants too refugees, it tin sack last used to smashing number alongside people from the bulk civilization who are often mistakenly thought to last "culture-free."
Transcript [pdf download
]Jonathan Singer: So I desire to give thank you lot you thence much for talking alongside us today nigh the Culturagram too I am rattling excited to genuinely beak alongside you lot because I have got used the Culturagram for a number of years too I’ve taught it inward degree too I think this is a wonderful tool. So the firstly query is what is the Culturagram?
Elaine Congress: Well first, give thank you lot you Jonathan for quest me to participate inward a podcast, I am rattling interested too excited nigh this too I experience this is a way to genuinely tell others nigh the Culturagram. The Culturagram is a household unit of measurement assessment tool I developed to aid social workers too others empathise meliorate families from dissimilar cultural backgrounds. It basically consists of a diagram alongside 10 dissimilar aspects. I think of civilization equally non beingness a singular concept, a singular term. Under civilization I experience is subsumed race, ethnicity, national beginning too religion, equally good equally values too beliefs. So I experience equally social workers it’s rattling of import for us to empathise completely the cultural background of families nosotros piece of work with. I’ve decided that i way to genuinely do this would last to prepare a tool to aid social workers genuinely meliorate assess the families they piece of work with.
Jonathan Singer: When you lot beak nigh families it makes me think of some of the other assessment tools similar the genogram, or you lot know there’s the ecomap for individuals. Is this dissimilar or inward conjunction, or how does it tally inward alongside those other assessment tools that social workers mightiness last to a greater extent than familiar with?
Elaine Congress: Right. Well, rattling interesting because I was rattling aware of the ecomap too the genogram, inward fact I utilisation them inward working alongside students equally good equally practitioners. But I was rattling concerned that the ecomap too the genogram don’t genuinely focus on culture, it’s minimally considered. And I felt inward my piece of work alongside clients who are increasingly from immigrant backgrounds that it was rattling of import to empathise their cultural background, too neither the ecomap, which looks at the way the family, genuinely engages alongside the external world, or the genogram, which looks at internal household unit of measurement relations neither of them genuinely got at culture. So that’s i of the factors that contributed to me developing the Culturagram.
Jonathan Singer: Ok, thence you lot saw a gap?
Elaine Congress: Right. Well some other major element that contributed to me developing the Culturagram was my before experiences equally a social worker, before I entered academia. I worked inward a mental wellness clinic primarily alongside Latino clients too I became increasingly aware of how dissimilar clients were, fifty-fifty clients from dissimilar Latino backgrounds, too I realized that many people brand generalizations too stereotypes nigh all Latino families are this or that, too also a lot of our literature speaks nigh characteristics of Latino families. I simply realized how dissimilar families were, too for example, inward the forenoon I would piece of work alongside a Puerto Rican household unit of measurement who had been inward New York City for xx years, too and then that afternoon I would piece of work alongside a Mexican household unit of measurement who had simply arrived final week. You could telephone yell upward both families Hispanic, but they were rattling very different. So this genuinely influenced me inward damage of developing the Culturagram to genuinely aid individualize these families. I also constitute that fifty-fifty 2 Puerto Rican families were rattling very different, too the Culturagram seemed inward a way to aid genuinely facial expression at some of the differences betwixt families fifty-fifty from the same ethnic background.
Jonathan Singer: You’re genuinely talking nigh the challenge of recognizing cultural differences betwixt groups, but also inside groups.
Elaine Congress: Right, exactly, exactly.
Jonathan Singer: Now I noticed that inward the 2d edition of the Social Workers Desk Reference, simply came out Oxford University Press, that you lot have got a novel version of the Culturagram, too I was wondering what changes you lot made to the most recent version of the Culturagram?
Elaine Congress: Well first, I firstly developed the Culturagram inward the early 90’s too it was based on large component upon my experience working inward an agency, too and then when I was simply showtime inward academia. I revised this slightly inward 2000 but I presented nigh the Culturagram genuinely all over the US too all over the world, too I experience that I’ve received a lot of input from people over the years, too I’ve move genuinely increasingly aware of how I, the Culturagram could last changed to include what I felt were genuinely pertinent issues. In the most recent version, I genuinely facial expression at oppression, bias, discrimination, too racism. Immigrants have got often been the dependent area of this type of discrimination. They often experience this both inward damage of where they come upward from, because inward their dwelling country, especially inward damage of refugees, have got experienced much discrimination, many of them have got had rattling hard times inward passage to the United States, too at nowadays later on they’ve arrived there’s much discrimination. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of this is a post 9/11 era, too homeland safety hasn’t made it to a greater extent than secure for many immigrants, especially those who are undocumented, too there’s continuing bias crime, at that topographic point was simply a recent murder of an immigrant on Long Island. So I genuinely felt that component of the Culturagram should genuinely facial expression at the history too electrical current discrimination that immigrants encounter.
Jonathan Singer: Well that makes a lot of sense. Now i that you lot mentioned inward your chapter inward the Social Workers Desk Reference that I thought was interesting is that for some immigrants, specifically dissimilar than refugees, some immigrants mightiness have got been component of the bulk grouping inward their dwelling country, thence may never have got experienced or been the victim of discrimination, too I thought that was a genuinely interesting insight.
Elaine Congress: Right, this is rattling truthful too many immigrants experience this. Immigrants from the Caribbean, from Haiti, Jamaica, inward which beingness dark is the majority, too and then they come upward hither too there’s a lot of prejudice, too also our newest immigrant grouping are immigrants from West African countries, too they also experience all kinds of discrimination because of the color of their pare when they come upward to the United States.
Jonathan Singer: Can you lot beak briefly nigh each of the areas of the Culturagram, nosotros sort of jumped into the most recent addition, but you lot have got a number of areas you lot had mentioned that social workers assess for inward the Culturagram, too I was wondering if you lot could beak nigh each i of those areas?
Elaine Congress: Sure. First thing, the Culturagram genuinely is a pictorial representation of these 10 aspects, too I felt, you lot know they state a painting is worth a one m words, too I simply thought it would last helpful for social workers to consider a diagram of a Culturagram. In the centre of the Culturagram you lot set the family, you lot listing private members, too inward at that topographic point are 10 dissimilar aspects of civilization you lot facial expression at to a greater extent than closely, too I’m going to move through the 10, too we’ll facial expression to a greater extent than closely at them.
Jonathan Singer: We tin sack set upward an paradigm of the Culturagram on the website for listeners thence you lot tin sack move to the Social Work Podcast website at http://socialworkpodcast.com too consider a version of the Culturagram.
Elaine Congress: Number one, reasons for relocating, too I think it’s genuinely of import to inquire our families why people came to the United States. Very often, a rattling mutual argue at nowadays why people come upward because other household unit of measurement members are here. Many people come upward because of economical reasons, too also many people who come upward hither cease upward sending coin dorsum dwelling to back upward others who they have got left behind. Many people come upward because of political/ religious persecution. We give away that many people have got moved from rural to urban areas. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 reoccurring subject inward damage of reasons for relocating is tin sack i move dwelling again, too some people move dwelling oft too at that topographic point is a phenomenon at nowadays of transnationalism too rattling often immigrants move dorsum too forth betwixt US too their dwelling country. But at that topographic point are many people who tin sack never move dwelling i time again too there’s a sure sadness alongside this.
Jonathan Singer: Ok thence that was the firstly category, reasons for relocation too and then the 2d i is legal status. Could you lot beak a trivial flake nigh that?
Elaine Congress: Often inward the same household unit of measurement people have got dissimilar legal statuses. There are illegal immigrants, people who have got Green Cards, at that topographic point may last refugees, people who have got special condition based on a good founded fearfulness of persecution based on religious/political opinion, race, nationality, or membership inward item groups. Also at that topographic point are undocumented people, they may last people who have got overstayed their visa’s, or people who have got entered without papers, you lot volition have got citizens, because if your born inward the US you lot are a citizen. Many of the children inward immigrant families are citizens, this creates a lot of tension inside families alongside often undocumented people alive inward smashing fearfulness of beingness deported, too often legal condition volition contribute to people avoiding needed medical or social services because it’s a lot of fearfulness of having their immigration condition known.
Jonathan Singer: I think when I worked inward Austin, Texas, I was i of the bilingual social workers, too rattling early inward whatever sort of intake assessment or fifty-fifty telephone phone yell upward alongside a family, too they were ordinarily from northern Mexico, I would state you lot know nosotros don’t inquire nigh what your legal condition is because you lot acquire services regardless. It was sort of a double edged sward because on i manus I wanted to my clients to know they didn’t have got anything to fear, but on the other manus because at that topographic point was a sort of don’t inquire don’t’ tell policy, I think this assessing for what the legal condition was too what sort of services nosotros could render maybe didn’t acquire addressed to the extent that it should have.
Elaine Congress: Right, I’ve often said that you lot have got to sort of approach this carefully, because sometimes if you lot inquire someone for, inward the rattling showtime what is your legal status, people volition move genuinely scared. So this is something that you lot demand to give away out later on you lot create a human relationship alongside the client, too sometimes knowing this data tin sack last rattling helpful because you lot tin sack too then refer maybe to a lawyer for legal service that mightiness last able to aid someone alongside their legal situation.
Jonathan Singer: The 3rd surface area is fourth dimension inward the community, too it seems similar all of these areas are rattling interconnected but what’s of import for assessing fourth dimension inward community?
Elaine Congress: Well first, too it may differ for dissimilar members, what nosotros give away at nowadays is often i soul volition come upward first. I hateful sometimes it volition last the woman; she volition come upward to do domestic work, or piece of work inward a factory. Sometimes it volition last the homo who comes to piece of work inward agriculture, too thence this genuinely tin sack brand a divergence inward damage of acculturation, how long someone has lived inward the United States.
Jonathan Singer: The side past times side category is linguistic communication spoken at dwelling too inward the community, too I think somebody mightiness facial expression at that too state good apparently if they speak a linguistic communication other than English, I simply write downwardly that that’s the linguistic communication that they speak. What else would you lot demand to assess for or why would you lot last looking for languages spoken at the dwelling too inward the community?
Elaine Congress: Well sometimes you lot give away that immigrants speak i linguistic communication at dwelling too some other inward the community. One affair that is often linked to interesting too challenging piece of work reversal issues equally children larn to speak English linguistic communication rattling quickly, inward schoolhouse too to last alongside their peers, too thence often children are used an interpreters, which is problematic because sometimes children are kept out of schoolhouse to move alongside their parents to translate too also I’ve seen working inward a wellness sector many years, children beingness exposed to things they shouldn’t last exposed to because they’re used equally interpreters. This tin sack genuinely Pb to all kinds of conflict inside the household, I think i time a household unit of measurement came to consider me, a household unit of measurement alongside adolescent children, too what was a presenting job was a lack of communication, I thought oh this is typical similar adolescent-parent situation, but inward working alongside the household unit of measurement I constitute it genuinely was a communication difficulty because the parents alone spoke Spanish, the children had some agreement of Castilian but they genuinely refused to speak Spanish, they alone spoke English, thence literally it was the communication.
Jonathan Singer: Yeah it was a linguistic communication barrier.
Elaine Congress: Right, exactly, inside the same household.
Jonathan Singer: Yeah ordinarily nosotros have got to alongside people that speak the same language, nosotros have got to do all sorts of investigation to figure out what the communication number is, but it was pretty clear inward that instance.
Elaine Congress: Right, exactly.
Jonathan Singer: Now what nigh wellness beliefs, that’s the side past times side category?
Elaine Congress: Many people have got rattling dissimilar beliefs nigh diagnosis too treatment. I think an example, this is based on a truthful experience from my practise days, a adult woman came into the emergency room alongside her 2 twelvemonth former boy who had a rattling very high fever, too the medico was rattling concerned, too said good nosotros may have got to hospitalize your son, I think he has pneumonia, has your boy all of his immunizations. She said good I’ve never brought him before, to a doctor, because he’s never been sick before, thence at nowadays she’s on the telephone alongside the social worker proverb maybe you lot should telephone yell upward protective services nigh this, but I think this illustrates how many issues inward damage of a prevention, our children sort of move to well-baby clinics from the fourth dimension they are born, too many people come upward from countries inward which wellness tending is rattling very limited, too you lot alone move to a medico if your kid or you lot are rattling very sick. I think for many immigrants, wellness too mental wellness are all interwoven, too there’s non this focus on mental wellness the way nosotros conceive of it. So the thought of sort of going to someone, sharing your rattling personal issues, too and then at the cease of 50 minutes it’s up, that’s simply genuinely rattling foreign for many immigrants.
Jonathan Singer: Now the side past times side category is impact of trauma too crisis events.
Elaine Congress: Well first, too most of the immigrants that nosotros piece of work alongside have got had trauma later on trauma later on trauma. First, too many have got been traumatized past times pre-migration experiences, sure refugees, too I have got talked to many refugees who endured war, torture, murder of relatives, rape, all kinds of pre-migration traumatic experiences. And also many have got had rattling hard experiences inward damage of coming here. So definitely this is something i needs to facial expression at. Now inward damage of other types of crisis events, I facial expression at this inward 2 ways, the firstly inward damage of developmental crisis, too you lot could think nigh every sort of novel phase inward life too the developmental crisis, too I think adolescence is a major developmental crisis for immigrant families, because rattling often adolescents genuinely desire to last simply similar their peers spell their parents mightiness last to a greater extent than traditional, too I’ve seen lots of issues alongside this especially alongside immature adolescent girls who desire to last similar their peers, they desire to date, they desire to store inward the afternoon alongside their friends spell families have got beliefs that the girls should come upward correct dwelling later on school. So this is a existent crisis area. “Bolt from the blue” is some other type of crisis event, too these are genuinely unexpected events, such equally accidents, abrupt illness, violence, unemployment, too sure inward today’s economical environment, this is rattling clear too present. And thence I think it’s rattling of import to facial expression at all of these traumatic too crisis events because they genuinely deport on an immigrant family.
Jonathan Singer: And before you lot mentioned that you lot have got sort of transnational individuals, folks who move dorsum too forth, but there’s also this coin that volition menses dorsum to a ground of origin, too I would imagine that if somebody was chosen (by their family) to come upward to the US too work, too shipping dorsum money, too they lost their job, they were unable to work, they couldn’t genuinely afford to shipping dorsum money, that could have got implications for that person, their household unit of measurement at home, the relationships betwixt them, all sorts of implications that nosotros mightiness non necessarily think about.
Elaine Congress: Right.
Jonathan Singer: The side past times side category is contact alongside cultural too religious institutions, holidays, food, too clothing. And I thought that was rattling interesting, I am rattling interested to hear what your thoughts are on “assessing for clothing.”
Elaine Congress: Ok, good this is an expanded category. I firstly started out contacting cultural institutions, too this was sort of based on an experience inward New York, too at that topographic point are a number of sort of ethnic social clubs. Also, I expanded it to include organized faith because many immigrants are involved alongside church, temples, mosques, too organized faith is too spirituality is rattling of import I think, too to empathise the civilization of the household unit of measurement it’s of import for us to empathise this too also equally nosotros know at that topographic point are holidays, especially ones that are component of all cultures, too it’s genuinely of import to empathise what is item for this immigrant family. Food too clothing, I think at that topographic point has been a style for everything to move to a greater extent than uniform, I hateful you’ll give away people wearing t-shirts everywhere around the world, but at that topographic point is wearable that is specific maybe to the culture, too I know I’m working at nowadays alongside many immigrants from West African countries, too rattling often the clothes they have on at dwelling is also the clothes that they’ll have on here. Also there’s a whole number nigh wearable also when you lot piece of work alongside immigrants many of whom have got come upward from developing countries to the south, places that haven’t experienced wintertime the way that nosotros do inward much of the United States, this is a existent challenge, too I hateful I know that inward some cases they have got reported to Child Protective Services because the kids weren’t adequately dressed inward boots too coats.
Jonathan Singer: The side past times side category nosotros touched on briefly, this is the i on oppression, discrimination, bias, too racism, too I’m wondering also if component of the assessment is to give away out what some of these immigrant or refugee clients ain biases are too what they mightiness convey into this country, maybe biases against folks from their ain ground who mightiness last here. Think nigh Rwanda equally an illustration of 2 groups that genuinely abhor each other, but nosotros mightiness non recognize them equally beingness dissimilar simply on the surface.
Elaine Congress: I think Jonathan that’s an fantabulous point, too it’s a goodness signal to the importance of non generalizing. I hateful nosotros some how experience that people are going to last rattling very similar if they come upward from the same area, the same country, but people are rattling different, too they convey alongside them many of their conflicts too prejudice too biases from where they have got come, too I’ve genuinely seen this inward damage of working alongside West African persons that have got migrated before to many dissimilar countries, at that topographic point are many many dissimilar groups, too they have got many biases against dissimilar groups, too this is genuinely rattling tricky for us inward damage of developing social services because sometimes nosotros brand an supposition like, oh this social worker is from a W African country, he tin sack piece of work alongside whatever African American, he tin sack piece of work alongside whatever Caribbean Area black, too that’s simply non true.
Jonathan Singer: And you lot know I simply desire to touching on something that you lot said briefly, that sometimes folks who come upward to this country, this is non their firstly immigration, that they mightiness have got gone from their ground of origin, to some other country, been at that topographic point for a while, too then to some other country, too and then ended upward inward the United States, which seems similar it would last an of import affair to know.
Elaine Congress: Sure, exactly, too to know a flake nigh their experience inward the other country. Also, I hateful a phenomenon nosotros often give away are people who moved from a rural surface area to an urban area, fifty-fifty inside their ain country, too lived similar inward a refugee camp, or a slum around a large metropolis inward their ain country, too and then moved from at that topographic point to some other country, too and then ultimately to the United States. And I think nosotros have got to non sort of bound over all of that, nosotros have got to genuinely know too empathise the experiences of families each pace of the way.
Jonathan Singer: So the side past times side category is values nigh educational activity too work, too I’ll simply state that I know that there’s this belief that if you’re non sort of a middle degree white person, that you lot don’t genuinely believe inward the value of education.
Elaine Congress: Which is absolutely wrong. I hateful if I tin sack think of whatever people who believe to a greater extent than inward educational activity through their children, I hateful immigrants genuinely desire their children to last educated too desire their children to have got a meliorate life, too at that topographic point are differences that tin sack last challenging because many immigrants come upward shape backgrounds inward which you lot brought the kid to schoolhouse too the teachers took over, too I think this came nigh alongside many immigrants who are genuinely non educated too the instructor was seen equally a smashing expert. I hateful this is dissimilar than our American educational organization where you lot know teachers too parents are supposed to last partners inward damage of education.
Jonathan Singer: No I agree, too I’ll simply throw out i to a greater extent than anecdote, I know this is your interview too I’ve been, too I continue jumping in.
Elaine Congress: No these are thence interesting Jonathan.
Jonathan Singer: I was working alongside a household unit of measurement too they were from Republic of El Salvador too the mom wouldn’t exhibit upward for schoolhouse meetings, thence the supposition of the administrators was that this mom didn’t value education. And genuinely what was truthful was when the mom was inward schoolhouse too she was alone inward schoolhouse until the 3rd grade, she was beaten on a regular footing because they forbid her to speak her native Indian linguistic communication inward school, too her too her friends would speak too they would acquire beaten, too thence she feared the actual schoolhouse building, too she had traumatic experiences of the schoolhouse building, fifty-fifty though she believed rattling strongly inward the importance of education.
Elaine Congress: And that’s genuinely of import to acquire this information, instead of similar simply blaming the woman nurture for this, or oh she simply wasn’t interested inward education, but to genuinely give away out the reasons that this adult woman had a rattling negative experience alongside her early schooling. Some parents I give away are genuinely nervous nigh going to schoolhouse because they feel, especially if they are undocumented, you lot know that the teachers, principal, too people of the schoolhouse are seen equally similar potency figures who are going to reporting them nigh their immigrant status. Sometimes I have got constitute parents are genuinely embarrassed when their continually getting notes sent dwelling too they can’t read it at all, non inward whatever language. We have got a rattling dissimilar sense of education, educational activity nosotros believe inward sort of the private kid too the evolution of the private child. I was involved inward this province of affairs inward which the woman nurture was rattling upset, equally was her children, she had 2 boys, they were eleven months apart ok, thence you lot know that they were set inward dissimilar grades, inward dissimilar classrooms. The children were rattling upset, they had ever been together, but what was explained to the woman nurture was good nosotros believe inward private evolution of each child, too fifty-fifty for twins nosotros set them inward split classes, thence I hateful I tell you lot this inward damage of dissimilar ways of approaching education.
Jonathan Singer: Very clear examples of differences inward cultural beliefs. Yeah.
Elaine Congress: Right, yeah. Now inward damage of work, immigrants genuinely desire to work, too they do work, too many immigrants have got several jobs at the same time, too everyone inward the household unit of measurement works. One number has to do alongside condition of work, many immigrants who have got come upward hither have got had a higher condition inward their ain dwelling ground equally compared to here, too inward fact I was simply talking to an immigrant at nowadays who was ultimately able to move to schoolhouse too at nowadays is a doctor, but he spoke nigh how he would have got been a college professor inward his ain dwelling country, an African country, too he came hither too the firstly labor that he got was washing cars because you lot know he just, his credentials weren’t recognized here, which you lot know is a existent issue. Also this sometimes leads to conflict inside marriage, especially if a homo is non able to give away a job, has a lower condition job, there’s a lot of household unit of measurement conflicts that tin sack develop.
Jonathan Singer: I’m thinking of a motion-picture exhibit that came out a few years ago, I think it was based on the mass “House of Sand too Fog.”
Elaine Congress: Oh right.
Jonathan Singer: And Ben Kingsley played a homo who had been i of the highest ranking armed services officials inward his dwelling country, I think it was Iran, too and then when the Shaw was deposed he came to the US too he would move out his dwelling every forenoon dressed to the nines you lot know inward his silk suit, too he would drive his BMW, too and then he would acquire to piece of work too he would set on similar a janitors outfit or something. But his household unit of measurement didn’t know, nobody inward the community could know that he had to have got menial labor job, they all assumed because eh told them that he was going to the component to do of import work.
Elaine Congress: Right. And a large component of it is similar saving face.
Jonathan Singer: Absolutely. Now the final category is called values nigh family, structure, power, myths, too rules.
Elaine Congress: Ok, too also permit me simply state that at i signal inward the firstly Culturagram, values was all together, too I realize this is thence basic, too thence of import that you lot genuinely demand to facial expression at it inward 2 dissimilar aspects. The educational activity too piece of work is to a greater extent than outer directed if you lot will, the number 10 is to a greater extent than inner directed, too I’ve taught household unit of measurement therapy, thence a lot of this comes from those days, simply looking at household unit of measurement construction too I hateful is the household unit of measurement sort of hierarchical or egalitarian, too I think, I would state that this is making a generalization, but I think nosotros facial expression at a married duet equally sort of equal partners, too children are listened to too have got voices. But I think many immigrant families come upward from backgrounds inward which they’re much to a greater extent than traditional, too the begetter is genuinely inward charge, too thence I think it’s genuinely of import to empathise the way the household unit of measurement is laid upward too organized. Also some other number I have got constitute is that many immigrant families are rattling connected, you lot know the household unit of measurement is rattling important, to a greater extent than than private issues, too private needs. And this I think is sometimes challenging for a Western Anglo social worker, when you lot consider but how household unit of measurement is genuinely thence important. I tin sack simply part some other illustration from my practices experience, I was working alongside a 17 twelvemonth former boy, rattling very intelligent, too he’s won a scholarship to move to a distant university, too I said oh great, move for it, too he said I can’t move out my family, his woman nurture had had some wellness problems, non you lot know life threatening, but you lot know some wellness problems, too he said I simply can’t move one-half way across the country, too I was simply thinking nigh I was putting my ain sort of private bias inward damage of similar achievement, right, too rather than looking at to a greater extent than inward damage of household unit of measurement too how of import it was to him. Other aspects, nether value I think are rattling of import are sex differences, too this genuinely tin sack brand a divergence inward damage of man child children having to a greater extent than ability too control, sure tasks for girls, too this often leads to household unit of measurement conflict. But I think, I have got spoken some generalizations inward there, which I constitute alongside some of my piece of work alongside immigrants, but it may non last truthful alongside the household unit of measurement alongside which you’re working, thence I think it’s genuinely of import to facial expression at what is uniquely the household unit of measurement story inward damage of the way that it’s structured, the way that ability is arranged, what sort of household unit of measurement myths are there, what are rules, too thence I think you lot have got empathise what’s unique for the family.
Jonathan Singer: Could you lot give an illustration of a household unit of measurement myth?
Elaine Congress: Ok, a kid is going to last simply similar his uncle for who some argue the kid was given the same holler at birth, too is rattling dissimilar than his uncle. I hateful I was working alongside an immigrant household unit of measurement once, the woman nurture came inward alongside her child, you lot know children are curious, too it was a trivial iv twelvemonth former boy, he was looking at a lot of materials on my desk, thence he knocked something off, too the woman nurture “you’re gonna last simply similar your uncle Juan, he was no goodness too he ended upward inward jail”, too on too on too on, too I think families have got sort of myths nigh similar what’s going to plough over alongside sure people, or household unit of measurement stories that are passed along. I think it genuinely behooves us equally social workers to genuinely sort of empathise the item stories too myths because they genuinely deport on the family.
Jonathan Singer: Ok that’s genuinely helpful, give thank you lot you. So those are the 10 areas of the Culturagram, too I’m sure folks who are listening are thinking wow that’s a lot of information. So how do social workers utilisation this data to improve the services they render to their clients?
Elaine Congress: Ok, good first, all of this data isn’t necessarily received inward the firstly interview; I hateful this is a process. First thing, it tin sack engage the family, this is non meant, this is dissimilar than a DSM-IV diagnosis, which looks at problems too deficits, this genuinely looks at strengths, too who the household unit of measurement is too what the household unit of measurement brings alongside them. I think that it tin sack last used to engage the family, it tin sack assess the household unit of measurement inward damage of dissimilar issues too areas, it tin sack last used inward damage of planning interventions, for illustration for legal condition if you lot consider there’s a job or number here, maybe a referral to legal services mightiness help. If maybe you lot notice that there’s a existent conflict inside the family, maybe household unit of measurement therapy mightiness last helpful. I hateful it genuinely sort of helps you lot create upward one's hear inward damage of where to move inward futurity piece of work alongside family. It genuinely serves to empower the family, this is at that topographic point story, this belongs to them, I’ve done the Culturagrams alongside families too they tin sack continue it, this is their story, this is who they are.
Jonathan Singer: So on a practical level, do you lot write this data equally a narrative or do you lot create total out the boxes on the Culturagram diagram?
Elaine Congress: Yeah, good genuinely both. We create total out the diagram, too I’ve done some, some of the articles I have got written on this, I’ve done diagrams when I’ve lectured on this, you lot know we’ve taken a instance example, too nosotros filled inward the block, but a block is alone thence big. So definitely if you lot desire to expand it to a greater extent than inward item blocks, you lot could a narrative nigh it.
Jonathan Singer: Is this something that if you lot filled out this Culturagram that you lot could simply set inward somebody’s chart, or is something that you lot part alongside them, or is this something that you lot would continue for your ain notes?
Elaine Congress: Well first, I think I would definitely part it alongside the client, inward fact I mightiness fifty-fifty piece of work on it alongside the client, too I know students who have got worked on it alongside the clients, too shared it alongside the client. I would last careful nigh putting it inward the nautical chart without discussing it alongside the family.
Jonathan Singer: So sort the same alongside whatever sensitive information, that mightiness non last straight related to the argue that somebody’s coming to treatment, you lot don’t desire something to last inward this official document that could last embarrassing or inward some way come upward dorsum to haunt them.
Elaine Congress: And especially inward this hateful solar daytime too age, too the whole number of legal status, I would last rattling carefully nigh putting this inward the chart. I hateful sure a social piece of work educatee would desire to part alongside his or her land instructor or supervisor.
Jonathan Singer: We’ve talked nigh the utilisation of the Culturagram equally a way for social workers to improve the services that they render to their clients. Has at that topographic point been whatever enquiry done equally to the utilisation of the Culturagram?
Elaine Congress: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 number of people have got written nigh it, Lum written nigh it inward using it alongside people of color, at that topographic point have got been articles on using it alongside battered women, alongside children, alongside immigrants, alongside older people, alongside people who have got wellness problems. So a number of people have got sort of looked at it too talked nigh issues alongside dissimilar population. I haven’t done a large quantitative study on it, most of it has been qualitative piece of work inward damage of people, private social workers, equally good equally some agencies have got tried using it alongside their social workers. And reports have got been positive, too I’ve tried to have got inward suggestions, too sure if anyone hears this podcast too would similar to offering suggestions for Culturagram 4, permit me know because this is a piece of work inward process, this isn’t fixed inward rock for all time.
Jonathan Singer: Ok, good that’s great, nosotros tin sack set your contact data on the Social Work Podcast website where people tin sack contact you lot if their using it too they have got ideas for additional categories or professors that are listening too thinking nigh using it inward a enquiry study for example, that mightiness last a smashing way of advancing the tool. The final query is where tin sack people give away the Culturagram other than going to the podcast website?
Elaine Congress: Ok, good I’ve written a number of articles nigh it, you lot know most late inward the Social Work Desk Reference 2. I firstly wrote nigh it alongside the Families inward Society inward 1994, I have got a mass Multicultural Perspectives inward Working alongside Families, the 2d edition came out inward 1997, too also I think I beak nigh the Culturagram inward my novel mass Social Work alongside Immigrants too Refugees: Legal Issues, Clinical Skills, too Advocacy. So I hateful at that topographic point are many sources, too some of these nosotros tin sack set on the podcast website, right?
Jonathan Singer: Absolutely, no nosotros tin sack set links to all of them. You know I simply thought of a question, or a comment, too I’d similar your thought nigh this. I have got assigned this Culturagram to my students when they’re doing their sort of comprehensive instance studies, too things similar that, too I’ll acquire students who come upward dorsum too state I can’t utilisation this because my customer is white, too you lot know sort of has lived inward the same town for iii generations, too thence what do you lot desire me to do. And I ever tell them, do a Culturagram, utilisation a Culturagram alongside your families that come upward from the dominant American civilization because there’s this supposition that, peculiarly white people inward America, don’t have got civilization too I think it’s of import to challenge that, too I’m simply wondering what your thoughts are on this idea?
Elaine Congress: Well Jonathan, I’ve had a similar experience because when I was the Culturagram household unit of measurement therapy class, I had a duet of students state good I don’t have got whatever culture, too that’s sure non truthful at all. And I think that it could genuinely last adapted, I also think it’s belike rattling of import for everyone to empathise his or her roots. I hateful nosotros all have got culture, too fifty-fifty if our parents came over on the Mayflower, I think nosotros definitely have got a civilization that nosotros tin sack write about. Also it’s interesting inward damage of the Culturagram, I know that many African Americans utilisation this, or have got written nigh the Culturagram, many who have got moved from rural places, places inward the rural due south to urban areas, you lot know Chicago, New York, too have got constitute similar it genuinely sort helpful too agreement to a greater extent than of their culture.
Jonathan Singer: Is at that topographic point anything else that you lot wanted to holler nigh the Culturagram, otherwise I don’t have got whatever other questions for you?
Elaine Congress: I think that’s nigh it, I’ve genuinely enjoyed having this chance to beak to you lot nigh the Culturagram, too give thank you lot you for quest me Jonathan, too also anybody that is listening, delight contact me if you lot desire to a greater extent than information, if you lot have got some questions or comments, I genuinely would appreciate it.
Jonathan Singer: Oh that’s rattling generous. Well Elaine give thank you lot you for taking the fourth dimension too I appreciate you lot firstly of all developing the Culturagram because I think it’s a smashing tool, too I appreciate you lot taking the fourth dimension out of your busy schedule at that topographic point at Fordham to beak alongside us today. So give thank you lot you thence much.
Elaine Congress: Ok, give thank you lot you.
Contact information
Elaine Congress, DSW, LCSW
Professor too Associate Dean
Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service
113 West 60th Street, Room 726E
New York, New York 10023
Telephone 212 636-6667
Fax 212 636-7876
Email congress@fordham.edu
References too Resources
- Chang-Muy, F. & Congress, E. (eds.) (2015). Social piece of work alongside immigrants too refugees: Legal issues, clinical skills, too advocacy, 2nd edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
- Congress, E. (2000). Crisis intervention alongside culturally various families. In. A. Roberts, (2nd Ed), Crisis Intervention Handbook. (pp. 431-449). New York: Oxford University Press.
- Congress, E. (2004). Cultural too Ethical Issues inward Working alongside Culturally Diverse Patients too Their Families: The Use of the Culturagram to Promote Cultural Competent Practice inward Health Care Settings. Social Work inward Health Care,39(3/4), 249-262.
- Congress, E. (2009). The Culturagram. In A. R. Roberts (Ed.). Social Workers' Desk Reference, 2/e. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Congress, E. (1994). The utilisation of culturagrams to assess too empower culturally various families. Families inward Society, 75, 531-540.
- Congress, E. (1997). Using the culturagram to assess too empower culturally various families. In E. Congress, Multicultural perspectives inward working alongside families (pp. 3-16). New York: Springer.
- Congress, E. too Brownell, P. (2006). Application of the culturagram alongside culturally too ethnicially various battered women. In A. R. Roberts, Battered women too their families. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
APA (5th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, Dec 1). Visual assessment tools: The Culturagram - interview alongside Dr. Elaine Congress [Episode 46]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from /search?q=visual-assessment-tools-culturagram
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