Counseling People Living in Poverty

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Multicultural Statistics
Poverty leads to poor mental health, hunger, malnutrition, and physical illness; in the United States 15% live below the poverty line that has been set by the federal government (Santiago, Kaltman, & Miranda, 2013). “The rates of poverty are higher among ethnic minority adults and families, with 27.4% of African Americans, 26.6% of Hispanic/Latinos, 27.0% of American Indian/Alaska Natives, and 12.1% of Asians living in poverty compared with 9.9% of non-Hispanic Whites” (Santiago et al., 2013, p. 115). This population presents with greater incidents of depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), related to poor living conditions and exposure to violence in neighborhoods and in their homes (Santiago et al., 2013).
Psychological Impact
Stressful negative events are constant in the lives of families in poverty, which can lead to poor mental health. These stressors include family conflict, exposure to traumatic events, violence, and financial instability, frequent transitions to new places to call home, and discrimination (Santiago et al., 2013). Children living in poverty conditions are at an increased risk of antisocial behavior that includes aggression, substance abuse, and academic failure. The strained existence of those living in poverty cause emotional internalization of negative events that lead to depression, anxiety, and PTSD; typically, aggressive behavior is the external manifestation of these damaging life events (Santiago et al., 2013).
Mental illness related to low socioeconomic status (SES) conditions lead to interference of educational pursuits and finding employment; thus trapping the family in a cycle of poverty. Obstacles in accessing quality mental health car...

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... the valley: St. louis missouri. Boulder, Colorado: Pruett Publishing Company.
Santiago, C. D., Kaltman, S., & Miranda, J. (2013). Poverty and mental health: How do low-income adults and children fare in psychotherapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, 69, 115-126. doi:10.1002/jclp.21951
The Authority of the United States of America. (1904). Official guide to the louisiana purchase exposition at the city of st. louis, state of missouri, april 30th to december 1st, 1904. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=htJNAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA3&ots= 1kaTozn3Sh&dq=%22Official%20guide%20to%20the%20Louisiana%20Purchase%20Exposition%20at%20the%20city%20of%20St.%20Louis%20%22&pg=PA197#v=onepage&q&f=false
U.S. Census Bureau. (2013). Social, economic, and housing statistics Division: Poverty. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/methods/definitions.html

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