Current directions in Chicana/o psychology

In this Major Contribution, we focus on the mental and psychological health issues relevant to Mexican Americans or Chicanas/os, and we identify and i ntroduce some important con temporary areas of research that reflect the un ifying theme of Current Directions in Chicana/o Psychology. These areas inc lude counseling, assessment, and service-delivery issues; the content and i nfluence of stereotypes; and the role of ethnic identity in the psychologic al health of Chicana/o people. To provide an ecological context for the ser ies of articles that follow, identifying labels/terminology, demographics, cultural characteristics, and political barriers descriptive of Chicanas/os are addressed. Our hope is that the series of articles composing this issu e serves to raise the awareness of mental health professionals about issues facing Chicanas/os and to provide guidelines for future counseling interve ntion and research.