LATINO CULTURAL-VALUES - THEIR ROLE IN ADJUSTMENT TO DISABILITY

Cultural values are at the core of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors t hat impact the rehabilitation process of Latinos with disabilities. Th ere is a great deal of diversity among Latinos, and understanding thes e values is important for a successful rehabilitation process. In this paper, an overview of these values and their impact on adjustment and rehabilitation are discussed. Allocentrism, familialism, and interdep endence may enlist the help of the family in the rehabilitation proces s. Well-defined gender roles may contribute to denial of the disabilit y in the case of men, but to ''aguante'' (endurance) in the case of wo men. A present-time orientation may make long-term planning of treatme nt difficult. ''Simpatia,'' power distance, and ''respeto,'' may be re flected by the imbalance in relationships with health care providers a nd rehabilitation specialists. Spirtuality may influence the beliefs o f clients regarding the explanation of disability as determined by sup ernatural forces.