ABSTRACT
This study describes a culturally sensitive approach to engage Mexican origin families in a school-based, family-focused preventive intervention trial. The approach was evaluated via assessing study enrollment and intervention program participation, as well as examining predictors of engagement at each stage. Incorporating traditional cultural values into all aspects of engagement resulted in participation rates higher than reported rates of minority-focused trials not emphasizing cultural sensitivity. Family preferred language (English or Spanish) or acculturation status predicted engagement at all levels, with less acculturated families participating at higher rates. Spanish-language families with less acculturated adolescents participated at higher rates than Spanish-language families with more acculturated adolescents. Other findings included two-way interactions between family language and the target child's familism values, family single- vs. dual-parent status, and number of hours the primary parent worked in predicting intervention participation. EDITORS' STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS: The authors present a promising approach-which requires replication-to engaging and retaining Mexican American families in a school-based prevention program. The research also highlights the importance of considering acculturation status when implementing and studying culturally tailored aspects of prevention models.
Subject(s)
Family Therapy , Mental Disorders/prevention & control , Mexican Americans , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/ethnology , School Health Services , Acculturation , Adolescent , Arizona , Child , Communication Barriers , Female , Humans , Logistic Models , Male , Mexican Americans/psychology , Mexico/ethnology , Multivariate AnalysisABSTRACT
This paper attempts to identify the factors that explain service provider readiness to fund and implement evidence-based programs for children from divorcing families. Representatives from 128 family courts in United States counties were surveyed about the programs currently being offered for families of divorce and plans for changes in the services provided. Path analyses provided evidence that readiness to adopt effective programming was predicted by (a) the presence of champions who could potentially advocate for adoption, (b) county size, and (c) community attitudes favorable to services for families of divorce. The counties' ability to access funding to support programming did not predict ultimate readiness to adopt extended programming. Implications for research on the dissemination of prevention programs for children of divorce are discussed.
