Psychology of Latino adults: Challenges and an agenda for action

In 2004, Latinos in the United States numbered 41 million, with 31% under the age of 16. Over the period from 2000 to 2004, Latino population growth represented half the total growth in the United States (The National Academies 2007). Part of this considerable increase includes immigration from Latin America, some who confront major challenges in integrating into the country, such as lack of English proficiency and different norms and lifestyle circumstances (Guarnaccia et al. 2007). These new immigrants also sustain strong ties with their home communities, interacting by phone and email, which contributes to the maintenance of language and culture (Levitt et al. 2003; Viruell-Fuentes 2006). These transnational dynamics pose complex challenges of how best to provide services, given Latinos' circumstances (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2001).