REAL LIFE CASE STUDY
The researcher used interview as a method of collecting the data and applied observation to verify the collected data. The research objectives were also used in determining the findings, which include different background, different generation, different socio-economic status and life experiences. The literature review was from textbooks, journals and the internet.
The research project will incorporate a survey design, which will prove relevant since the information will be obtained from the parties affected by the project. The conclusion will indicate the lifespan human development as well as the recommendations put forward by the researcher.
INTRODUCTION
Abella Rosario is a 62-year-old Mexican immigrant residing in California and hails from the city of Santa Catarina, located about 15 Km southwest of central Monterrey, Mexico (Gracia Greiff, 2000). She migrated to the United States at the age of 45years to join her husband, Alejandro, who was working and living in California. The city has a population of approximately 282,830 individuals and is ranked sixth in population in Mexico. Abella means small and active person in Mexican and her background differs from the interviewers in that the interviewer was born and raised in the United States and happens to be 40 years younger than the informant. Abella is in the late adulthood lifespan developmental stage and states that she has experienced numerous challenges as an elderly Mexican living in the United States, coupled with problems as concerns her financial status, emotional and psychological well being and general health (Gracia Greiff, 2000).
Upon being asked, Abella stated that there are a few major strengths and obstacles associated with the late adulthood lifespan developmental stage. For instance, as an adult, she is able to look back on her life with contentment and happiness, knowing that she has thus far accomplished almost all that she had desired to do in the past (Gracia Greiff, 2000). Having a deep sense that life indeed has meaning and being able to accept death as the completion of it, is also another major strength at this stage. However, there is the tendency of developing feeling of despair due to perceived failures (Gracia Greiff, 2000). One can also be tempted to ask whether the trip was worth it and whether heshe has really accomplished as much as they would have wanted up to this developmental stage.
According to Abella, significant joys and sufferings in her life history would be having had the chance to travel away from her native hometown and getting to experience a different culture from what she had been used to as well as having the chance to make new friends and socialize. However, she has had her share of sufferings in that to begin with, she would become homesick and miss her native hometown. In addition, individuals from the neighborhood where she was to settle in did not warmly receive her as she had expected. Her husband explained to her that it was due to her different background and identity.
What has kept Abella moving, despite her having lost her husband recently, is the fact that United States citizens are slowly embracing individuals who are perceived different from them and are becoming more accommodative and sensitive towards such individuals needs (Gracia Greiff, 2000). She also hopes to see a huge positive change in how American citizens view and handle racial minority groups.
The researcher therefore conducted a survey to determine what an individual from a racial minority group experiences during lifespan human development and the developmental stages.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Based on the information collected from the research study, the main theme is that of identity at the late lifespan developmental stage. The informant, being an elderly Mexican immigrant living in the United States, has experienced different challenges as concerns her well-being and her identity.
There are three main developments that occur from birth across the human life span and these include cognitive, psychosocial and biological developments (Gracia Greiff, 2000). During cognitive development, mental processes take place such as reasoning, problem solving and perception while under biological development, maturation, growth and bodily changes occur (Gracia Greiff, 2000). In addition, psychosocial development is whereby changes in personality, social interactions, expectations and emotions take place (Gracia Greiff, 2000).
According to developmental psychology, theories with a tendency to explain the different aspects in human development determine the existence of human growth (Gracia Greiff, 2000). These developmental theories offer a variety of answers unlocking the depths of human behavior by conducting studies on casualties of distinct experiences in the course of an individuals life span. Relating to the research case study, identity as concerns racial minority group has been a contended issues in the recent past, especially in the United States. Racial as well as ethnic identity is considered to be important parts of the general structure of collective and individuals identity (Gracia Greiff, 2000). It is believed that deep conscious immersion into cultural values and traditions instill positive sense of ethnic confidence and identity despite people having to filter ethnic identity through negative media messages and treatment received from others regarding their racial background (Gracia Greiff, 2000).
Two researchers concerned with identity development theories by the name Phinney (1989) and Barry (1990) came up with five main components to HispanicLatino ethnic identity, suggesting that the process may begin at the developmental stage where individuals become aware of ethnicity and race due to the required higher level of cognitive behavior (Gracia Greiff, 2000). Hispanics and Latinos value their background and therefore tend to proclaim their nationality when they are in foreign countries. This provides them with a sense of identity and pride reflected in their music, poetry and stories they tell others (Gracia Greiff, 2000). In Abellas case, being in a foreign country that perceives racial minority groups as being inferior and undeserving of any respect, has proved challenging since the dominant white American culture usually represents Hispanics and Latinos in a negative manner (Gracia Greiff, 2000). Abella and her husband have had to work hard in proving to their neighbors and others they daily interact with that despite their racial background, they are just as similar to them in a number of ways as other people. She has also had to work extra hard in her place of employment as a dressmaker to prove that she is as deserving of an average or higher wage as her counterparts from America.
Given her current age and racial categorization, Abella is considered an elderly Mexican immigrant residing in the United States. Categorization according to race in the United States is determined by a few factors including language spoken, nativity status as well as length of stay in the US by these individuals (Gracia Greiff, 2000). As a result, the idealized health advantage and benefits or Hispanic paradox for certain health mortality and outcomes could be connected to the categorization as well as opportunities that come with race in the American society (Gracia Greiff, 2000). Due to her employment and financial status, Abella is not in a position to afford high quality service healthcare provided in addition to not having a health insurance.
RESEARCH METHOD AND FINDINGS
The research design and methodology will be founded on the kind of research carried out and the type of information required from the respondent. The design and methodology will also depend on the variables being considered which will ease the researchers work during analysis and interpretation of the data collected. It indicates different procedures and instruments used to collect the data.
Research Design, Data collection Methods and Procedure
The researcher will use a survey design for this project since it will prove relevant in obtaining information from individuals directly affected by this study. Observation and interviews will be used to conduct the research study.
The sample procedure is concerned with data collection in order to establish the current status of a population. It attempts to analyze, interpret as well as report the present status of the phenomenon. The researcher will begin by asking for informed consent of voluntary participation and agreement on using the data collected for the study from the respondents. Interviewing will be the main instrument used in the research study while observation will be used to obtain qualitative data in time with the data collected from the interview.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
The information collected will be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, as it will enable the researcher to have a precise, clear and simplified view of the research findings, allowing the readers to have a better understanding. Graphs, tables and percentages will be used to analyze the data collected based on themes. Explanations and discussions of findings will also apply.
During the research study, the researcher sought to establish the number of elderly Hispanics residing in the United States in the recent past in addition to the projected percentage. The data collected has been summarized in the table below.
Table 1 Recent and Projected Percentage of elderly residing in the United States
YEARALL RACESWHITEHISPANICSBLACKS1990
205013.0
20.313.2
22.58.1
13.45.0
14
According to the information presented in the above table, the rate of growth of the elderly population within the United States, individuals 65years and above, has greatly increased and is projected to further increase in future (Gracia Greiff, 2000). In addition, the proportion older persons within the major race groups as well as the Hispanic origin population is expected to increase in the course of the first half of the 21st century (Gracia Greiff, 2000).
The researcher also sought to investigate the percentage of those elderly Hispanic individuals having health insurance in the United States. The findings are presented in the table and figure below.
Table 2 The percentage of Uninsured in US by Race or Ethnicity
RaceEthnicityUninsuredTotal PopulationWhite
Black
Hispanic
Others48
15
30
767
12
14
6Figure
From the observations made above, the whites are the highest as concerns the number of uninsured in the United States comprising of approximately 48 of the total population (Gracia Greiff, 2000). This high number can also be observed in the case of uninsured Hispanics. However, this number is not related to higher poverty levels as compared to other groups but is likely to be as a result of working in jobs that do not offer health insurance, as is in the case of Abella (Gracia Greiff, 2000).
CONCLUSON
From the research conducted above to investigate lifespan human development and the different challenges faced by an elderly of a racial minority group, it can be concluded that despite these challenges, these individuals have found a way of fitting into the foreign society and maintaining a positive attitude. As is with the case of Abella, she learned to develop a positive attitude as concerns discrimination and stereotyping and is hopeful about the future changes that have already began taking place as concerns the issues.
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