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Saturday, February 27, 2010

The Virgin of Guadalupe as an Ancillary Modality for Treating Hispanic Substance Abusers: Juramentos in the United States


During a 6-month research study of substance abuse outreach and retention methods in Mexico, the authors learned about the common practice of a self-control mechanism to abstain from substance abuse: Juramentos.

Juramentos
are pledges usually made to the Virgin of Guadalupe in the presence of a Catholic priest. The Jurado promises not to drink during a specified period of time.

The authors discuss the dynamics of
Juramentos and present data from an exploratory study indicating that Juramentos are being used among Mexican migrants in Florida and may provide a culturally sensitive adjunct for treatment of Mexican and other Hispanic clients in
the United States.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: mcuadrado@utep.edu
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