Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 1-1-2009 Understanding the pendejo phenomenon in Puerto Rico: An example of culture -specific therapy Miriam Biascoechea-Pereda Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons, Personality and Social Contexts Commons, and the Social Psychology Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Miriam Biascoechea has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Stephanie Cawthon, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty Dr. Richard Waite, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty Dr. Frank Fox, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty Dr. Nydia Lucca, External Committee Member Chief Academic Officer Denise DeZolt, Ph.D. Walden University 2008 ABSTRACT Understanding the Pendejo Phenomenon in Puerto Rico: An Example of Culture-Specific Therapy by Miriam Biascoechea-Pereda M.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1981 B.B.A., University of Puerto Rico, 1965 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University November 2008 ABSTRACT Although the current literature calls for generally increased attention to culture-specific influences in therapeutic settings, much more needs to be known regarding specific groups. Accordingly, this exploratory phenomenological study addressed the lack of awareness of the pendejo construct and its perceived threat as a stigmatizing attribute among indigenous Puerto Ricans. Since this phenomenon is believed to jeopardize self- other relationships including therapeutic relationships, the purpose of the study was to describe the pendejo concept as a cultural dimension of Puerto Rican psychology. The research focus included participants’ personal and collective experiences of the pendejo construct, with attention directed to how this phenomenon was represented as a cognitive distortion, a self-referent in discourse, and manifested behaviorally. The study employed data collected via in-depth interviews with 8 successful, college-educated native Puerto Ricans. Transcribed data was organized by categories, coded by significant statements and distilled into structural and textural descriptions that revealed a marked similarity of participants’ descriptions of the pendejo experience in terms of definitions, assumptions, emotional and behavioral responses, propensity and consequences. Psychological manifestations included escapist behaviors, cognitive distortions (people are out to “take me for pendejo”), and negative self-referents (“I am a pendejo”) that translate into nonclinical paranoid tendencies and introjected hurt feelings. Awareness of this phenomenon can help culturally oriented therapists assist Puerto Rican clients toward becoming more assertive and proactive persons. This can lead to positive social change by enhancing mental health and interpersonal behavior within this population at the individual and the collective levels, as well as adding new insight to the literature. Understanding the Pendejo Phenomenon in Puerto Rico: An Example of Culture-Specific Therapy by Miriam Biascoechea-Pereda M.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1981 B.B.A., University of Puerto Rico, 1965 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University November 2008 UMI Number: 3342491 Copyright 2009 by Biascoechea-Pereda, Miriam All rights reserved INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. ______________________________________________________________ UMI Microform 3342491 Copyright 2009 by ProQuest LLC All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. _______________________________________________________________ ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 DEDICATION To my Mother, Emilia Pereda-Biascoechea, my inspiration and my guiding light as a woman and as a scholar. To my Father, Eduardo Biascoechea, my guardian angel in heaven. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my deep appreciation to my committee members. Dr. Nydia Lucca-Irizarry thanks for believing in me and for gratuitously being there when I needed your guidance and support. I admire you as a teacher, as a scholar, and as an excellent human being. I also want to thank Dr. Stephanie Cawthon, my committee chairperson. You came to my rescue when I was most desperate and cheered me on through the last steps of my dissertation. Thanks for your excellent advice, your words of encouragement, and for your care. Dr. Richard Waite, and Dr. Frank Fox, my dear teachers from Summer residency, I can never thank you enough for accepting to be part of my committee and for guiding me with your timely comments and your expert advice. I also want to thank the eight Puerto Ricans who volunteered to participate in this study. Their stories shed light and brought into awareness the intricacies of the pendejo phenomenon. Thanks for your interest and your enthusiasm and for helping me feel that I was on the right track. To Dr. Barbara Sweet-Hansen and Father Juan José Genovard—Bambi and Juanjo—my dear, dear friends I give my heartfelt thanks. You’ve always been there for me. More than friends, you’ve been my family. Thanks for the time you spent reviewing and commenting on my work. Your expert advice and support made my dream possible. Last, but not least, I feel in debt with my family: my Mother, my sisters, my children, and my grandchildren for being so patient and understanding. But first and foremost, thank you, Pin, for your unconditional love, your patience, and your support. Thanks for being my dream come true, my husband. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY .........................................................1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................1 The Pendejo Phenomenon ..................................................................................................3 Statement of the Problem ....................................................................................................6 Purpose of the Study ...........................................................................................................6 Assumptions of the Study ...................................................................................................8 Research Questions .............................................................................................................8 Background of the Problem ................................................................................................9 Personal Perspective ....................................................................................................12 Description of the Phenomenon ..................................................................................14 Theoretical Framework .....................................................................................................17 Indigenous Psychologies .............................................................................................18 Culture and Personality ...............................................................................................19 Significance of the Study ..................................................................................................20 Scope of the Study ............................................................................................................21 Limitations of the Study ....................................................................................................21 Definition of Terms ...........................................................................................................22 Study Specific Terminology .......................................................................................22 Spanish Terminology ..................................................................................................25 Chapter Summary .............................................................................................................27 CHAPTER 2: