ABSTRACT
This chapter explains that Hispanic American culture is composed of many diverse groups with historical, economic, social, individual, communication, generational status, rural/urban status, social class level, and sexual orientation differences. The likelihood of counsellors intervening with Hispanic American children, adolescents, adults, and elders is increasing. Counselling Hispanic American children requires knowledge of individual Hispanic cultures whenever possible. Effective counselling will require an understanding of Hispanic American clients; their respective developmental period; and how cherished cultural beliefs such as machismo, respite, familismo, curerismo, personalism, and dignidad will influence individual, group, and family therapy. Counsellors will need to understand cultural concepts such as machismo, respeto, and familismo from a Hispanic perspective and how these cherished concepts affect these clients' daily lives and counselling outcomes. Another difference counsellors will have to address is that many Hispanic Americans continue to show an allegiance to the Spanish language.
