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During the last 40 years there has been a great increase in the size of the Hispanic (and Puerto Rican) population in the United States. One out of every 20 persons living in the United States is Hispanic, constituting the second largest minority group. Puerto Ricans, with 1.7 million people living on the mainland (and 3.1 million people living on the island), constitute the second largest Hispanic group in the United States, topped only by the 6.3 million Mexican Americans.
In New York City Puerto Ricans make up 10.3% of the total population, largely concentrated in the Bronx (39.0% of the population, which makes them the largest ethnic group), Brooklyn (33.5%), and Manhattan (22.8%). In addition, Puerto Ricans in New York City have the highest birth rate, the largest families, the lowest educational level, and the lowest income level of any ethnic group (U. S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1976).
In spite of the important size of the Puerto Rican population, and their alarming socioeconomic characteristics, which make them at great risk for mental illness, there has been a paucity of research and literature on the psychotherapy of Puerto Rican patients. This is not because Puerto Ricans have not been studied to death. The amount of sociological literature is considerable.
Although a few published papers deal with some aspects of the psychotherapy of Mexican American patients (Miranda et al., 1976;