ABSTRACT
Working with immigrant families can be a challenge for therapists. Stressors that these families must endure are often not apparent in therapy and can cause misunderstandings on the part of the therapist. It is important that therapists become aware of the possible difficulties immigrant families may be experiencing. One of the key areas that may be causing an immigrant family stress is that of acculturation. Sluzki (1979) describes five stages of acculturation: (1) preparatory stage; (2) migration; (3) period of overcompensation; (4) period of crisis decompensation; and (5) transgenerational phenomena. Each stage is uniquely different and mandates different interventions. However, some family members experience acculturation and/or assimilation at different rates. Indeed, some therapists believe this factor to be a basic assumption when working with immigrant families (Montalvo & Gutierrez, 1990).
