Introduction to Special Section: Advancing Research on the Intersection of Families, Culture, and Health Outcomes

This Special Section of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology on Families, Culture, and Health Outcomes was prompted by increased calls for evaluation of culture in research and clinical work, a perceived dearth of research that accounted for culture in the context of family health beliefs and behaviors, and our own clinical translational programs incorporating culture into family intervention research. In that call, we summarized potential topics to “include the interface between families, culture, and illness management behavior, the identification of family-level risk and protective factors in disease outcomes, and the evaluation of culturally tailored family-based treatments for pediatric conditions.” Our hope is that the original, high-quality research and commentaries included in the special section compel others to investigate the cultural issues that impact their assessments, interventions, and clinical research in pediatric psychology. The imperative to address families, culture, and health outcomes is underscored by increasing racial, ethnic, and family diversity among the populations we serve, as well as the globalization of pediatric issues in which research and health outcomes for children are reciprocally informed. Data from the 2010 United States Census reveal that only 72.4% of respondents self-identified as “white alone,” indicating that more than a quarter of our current population identifies themselves as ethnic/racial minorities or mixed race (Hixson, Hepler, & Kim, 2011). The proportion of immigrants in the U.S. also continues to increase; in 2009, 11% of the population (33 million people) were second generation immigrants (U.S. born children of immigrant parents; MacArthur Foundation, 2012). Canada has even higher immigration rates than the U.S. In 2006, 19.8% of the Canadian population (6.5 million people) was foreign-born, or first-generation immigrants, resulting in great ethnocultural diversity (Statistics Canada, 2007). This trend is expected to continue in both in countries. By 2040, U.S. population projections indicate that 16.7% of the U.S. population will be foreign-born immigrants (MacArthur Foundation, 2012); in Canada, similar projections indicate 25% to 28% of the population will be foreign born by 2031 (Statistics Canada, 2007).