Biracial Youth and Families in Therapy: Issues and Interventions

Citation

Milan, S. & Keiley, M. K. (2000). Biracial Youth and Families in Therapy: Issues and Interventions. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. vol. 26 (5) pp. 330-337

Abstract

Empirical research and clinical resources focusing specifically on minority youth and families have increased tremendously in the last 2 decades. Despite this trend, certain groups continue to be relatively neglected. In particular, very few resources exist for understanding the unique challenges that often face biracial youth and their families. In this article, we use a nationally representative database to compare functioning in biracial youth to white adolescents and other minority adolescents. Results suggest that biracial/biethnic youth are a particularly vulnerable group in terms of self-reported delinquency, school problems, internalizing symptoms, and self-regard. As a group, they are also more likely to receive some form of psychological intervention. Given these findings and the shortcoming of clinical resources for work with this population, we provide an in-depth discussion of why biracial youth may be particularly vulnerable from a social-constructionist framework and offer several strategies based on narrative family therapy for working with biracial youngsters and their families.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2000.tb00300.x

Keyword(s)

minority youth

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Journal of Marital and Family Therapy

Author(s)

Milan, S.
Keiley, M. K.

Year Published

2000

Volume Number

26

Issue Number

5

Pages

330-337

DOI

10.1111/j.1752-0606.2000.tb00300.x

Reference ID

28