Carol's Olivares Case Study

Demographics
Carols Olivares is 38-years old and identifies as a Mexican-American man. Mr. Olivares has two children, Max (8) and Emma (6). Mr. Olivares resides in the United States, and lives with his wife of 12 years, Margret Olivares. Mr. Olivares was laid of two months ago from his factory job. He currently works as a day laborer for his local city and works long days (including double shifts) to make ends meet. Mrs. Olivares reports that her husband has increased his drinking in the last few months and has began to withdraw himself from family outings. Mr. and Mrs. Olivares both report difficulties with the English language. Mr. Olivares is coming to the agency with his wife to address their family problems.
Culture
The client, Carols

Olivares identifies as Mexican-American which may influence his assessment due to language and nonverbal communication.

Upon initial intake, Mr. Carols mentioned that he struggles with the English language. Mr. Carols stated that the English language “makes living in the U.S difficult”. The first cultural dilemma in this situation is the language barrier. In many cultures, communication is very important. Every culture has a unique style of verbal and non-verbal communication. For example, in Arabic culture it is extremely rude to say the word “what” to anyone older than you. Whereas, in American culture this is practiced regularly. The communication barrier between the client and the Social Worker may cause the client to feel uncomfortable at times and possibly even insulted. According to Valuing Differences and Diversity (1977), “if Hispanic individuals with whom you talk do not speak your language proficiently, encourage and praise them for their effort to learn your language”. (Wittmer, p. 137). It is recommended not to ask the clients whether they would like to strengthen their English, but rather to recognize their struggle and to commend them for the efforts. Furthermore, the dynamic of learning the English language has changed completely over the past few years. According to an article by

Wittmer (1977), “a crucial issue today for both Hispanics and English-speaking Americans is how the Spanish language will be used and/or integrated with the predominant English language…for example, not being able to speak the English language correctly is no longer as important to certain Hispanic American groups as it was a few years ago, as many are not learning English at all. This phenomenon will, of course, add to the communication problem” (p. 118). It is unclear whether Mr. and Mrs. Olivares are interested in perfecting their English, however they did mention that they sometimes struggle with living in the U.S because of it. Their view on the language, whether its positive or negative, will influence time in the office.
The nonverbal communication skills presented by the Mexican-American community varies from the traditional American community. Wittmer (1992) states, “Hispanics require a smaller personal space than do people of most other countries, especially Anglo Americans. They tend to sit and stand closer to people. They always shake hands in greeting, and after getting to know someone even slightly, tend to engage in an embrace and/or kiss on the cheek greeting. Hispanics also tend to touch people to whom they are speaking” (p.122). While it is appropriate to shake the client’s hands upon arrival, engaging in any other contact may be seen as inappropriate and unprofessional. To some extent, it may even violate the Code of Ethics. The Social Worker should be careful not to insult the clients by disregarding their customs, but rather recognize the similarities and differences. The clients may also find it insulting if the Social Worker dismisses them from the office without a display of kindness or affection. Shaking hands while greeting the client is a sign of respect. One of the skills demonstrated when practicing attunement is eye contact. In many cultures, eye contact is seen as a sign of respect. It