Exploring the Experiences of Latino Men in Stepfamily Education Katie Reck, B.S., Brian Higginbotham, Ph.D., and Linda Skogrand, Ph.D. Abstract This study examines the experiences of 16 Latino men who participated in Smart Steps, a stepfamily education program. Post-program interviews demonstrated unique experiences in recruitment and retention, improving family relationships, normalization of their stepfamily situation, and understanding the importance of family. Themes and subthemes of findings are presented as well as implications for current programs targeting Latino men in stepfamilies. Project Description This study stems from a larger federally funded demonstration project (Grant No. 90FE0129 and 90YD0227). As part, Smart Steps: Embrace the Journey courses were provided to low-income and Latino stepfamilies across the state of Utah. Qualitative interviews were conducted at the end of the program. Findings Normalization of the Situation The structure of the classes allowed for stepfamilies to come together, in a group setting, in order to share their experiences and support one another. By doing so, participants learned that they were “not alone” in their circumstances. “I attended mostly because I see that my family has problems. Sometimes, we think we can solve our problems by ourselves, but sometimes it is good to receive help from someone else and listen to others testimonies. Because one thinks the problem is only in your family, but really every family has problems.” Class Recruitment and Participation Men were most commonly recruited through personal invitation by a facilitator, referrals by friends, previous class participants, and councilors. They attended the course because they wanted to gain information on: how to deal with (step)children, how to get along with their spouse, and how to effectively deal with an ex-spouse. Improving Family Relationships Improving family relationships was perceived to be the most important aspect of the Smart Steps course to Latino men. This was described in several ways. Improved Parenting/Fathering. Latino men discussed the importance of understanding their (step)children and wanting to know how to become an effective (step)father (e.g. parenting skills). Overall, the parent-(step)child relationship was the most effected relationship as a result of the course. “I think in the third class I realized where I was doing things wrong. I also realized how to now see the errors that we were committing with our stepchildren. It [the class] was one of the best experiences we had to recognize what I was doing wrong.” “The most important things that benefited us was now we know how to listen and we know that we will be listened to. So, we learned, or I should say I learned, that communication is something that is difficult, but if you know how to apply it, we are going to have good results.” Positive Couple Relationship. Latino men expressed a desire to improve their current couple relationship. Issues such as fighting with a spouse, dealing with finances, spending time together, and effective communication were addressed. Importance of the Family Latino men repeatedly described the importance of the family. This was most commonly done through discussing how they defined the family and the importance of family unity. (Re)Defining the Family. According to these men, the family needed to be redefined in order to appropriately describe who “the family” was. For children, this meant including not only immediate family but extended family. The term “stepfamily” was found to be inadequate, and at times negative, in describing the family. “Throughout the stepfamily course you get to meet other people and see that we are not the only ones.” “My daughter is not my stepdaughter she is my daughter. She is my son’s sister, not stepsister. We’ve always been that way.” Family Unity. The Smart Steps course allowed for families to spend time together and learn new skills. As a result, greater family unity was achieved. Men expressed a sense of gratitude in having their families become stronger and more united. Methodology Implications Funding for this research was provided, in part, by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Grant No. 90FE0129 and 90YD0227. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. These findings assist practitioners in filling the current gap of knowledge about the experiences of Latino men in relationship education. Each of the major themes from this study provides specific insight into program implementation for Latino men in stepfamily education programming. These include: Programs should utilize personal invitation and trusted referrals to gain trust among Latino men. Emphasis should be placed on the content being taught. Programs should be culturally sensitive toward negative stigmas felt by Latino stepfamilies such as the “stepfamily” term. Programs should include family participation. Sample A convenient sample of 40 participants were initially selected to be interviewed. Of these 16 were Latino men. Nine were stepfathers and seven were biological fathers currently living in a stepfamily. The mean age of the men was 36 with a mean education level of a high school degree and income ranging from $5,000 to $40,000. Qualitative Interviews Post-program interviews were conducted in Spanish. Questions included but were not limited to: What was your experience of taking this course with other stepfamilies? What was the best part of the stepfamily course for you? What are some of the positive/negative experiences that have resulted from participation in the course?