Exploring the Relationship Among Cultural Discontinuity, Psychological Distress, and Academic Outcomes with Low-Income,Culturally Diverse Students

Abstract

School counselors and educators tend to focus on the symptoms of cultural discontinuity and often view these symptoms as root causes for underachievement. In this article we use an ecosystemic paradigm to explore the relationship among cultural discontinuity, psychological distress, and academic achievement. Recommendations include ways in which school counselors can use macrosystemic interventions to forge partnerships between low-income, culturally diverse students' home culture and that of the school.