Cultural Correlates of Dating Violence in a Combined Gender Group of Latino College Students.

Prevalence rates of dating violence (DV) on college campuses are high. The documented effects of DV suggest substantial challenges across all domains of functioning; yet, DV is preventable. The research on risk and preventive factors for Latino college students is limited. This study used the social-ecological model to examine factors associated with DV at the individual, relationship, and societal levels. More specifically, we utilized structural equation modeling to build an acceptable model of physical and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences for Latino participants based on variables of gender role beliefs, acculturation, attitudes toward violence, and surveillance behavior, while considering development issues. We describe the practice and prevention implications of the study findings. Overall, the model showed excellent model fit (χ2[40] = 52.06, p < .09, root mean square error of approximation = 0.025, comparative fit index = 0.99, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.98, and a coefficient of determination of 0.04), and several proposed pathways were found to be significant, exhibiting the utility of this model in understanding Latino Dating violence. Maternal education was found to be significantly negatively associated with Mexican orientation (ß = -.13, p = .02) and indirectly associated with both DV attitudes and surveillance through Mexican orientation, suggesting protective effects for lower maternal education and higher Mexican orientation. Machismo (ß = .18, p = .002) and caballerismo (ß = .26, p < .001) were both related to IPV attitudes. Machismo also directly increased the risk of surveillance (ß = .21, p < .001) and indirectly increased the risk of physical and psychological victimization through surveillance behavior. Mexican orientation predicted less endorsement of DV attitudes (ß = -.16, p < .001) and less surveillance (ß = -.09, p = .04). Victimization was predicted by caballerismo (ß = -.19, p < .001) and surveillance (ß = .33, p < .001).

Telehealth Psychoeducational Groups With Latinx College Students: Findings From Focus Groups.

The literatures examining psychoeducational groups and telehealth services have demonstrated positive results but less is known about the efficacy of psychoeducational telehealth groups. This study examines the perspectives of 105 Latinx college students who participated in an 8-session psychoeducational group via a telehealth platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research questions included (a) What was the experience of these Latinx college students participating in telehealth psychoeducational groups? and (b) What were the potential perceived advantages and disadvantages of implementing telehealth psychoeducational groups? Postintervention, a total of 16 focus groups were convened with a total of 105 Latinx college students (average number of participants per group = 6). Interviews were coded using conventional qualitative analysis and yielded four main themes: (1) group cohesion, which involved group members feeling that they were connected and that the group was a safe space; (2) group leaders, which involved leaders' preparation and knowledge and their ability to foster a safe environment); (3) cultural issues, which involved cultural values and acculturative and first-generation stress.; and (4) telehealth implementation, wherein participants described advantages and disadvantages of the telehealth approach. We discuss study limitations and directions for future research.

Group Cohesion in Psychoeducational Groups with Latinos: Examining Cultural Correlates.

Group psychotherapy is an effective therapeutic modality for the treatment of many mental health and related issues. Group therapy is cost-effective and could decrease barriers to mental health services for ethnic minority populations, including Latinx people. Group cohesion is a therapeutic factor associated with positive outcomes in group psychotherapy according to meta-analyses. While information exists regarding the associations of group cohesion to other variables that may affect the effectiveness of group psychotherapy, there is no published research exploring the relationships between group cohesion and the Latinx cultural correlates of acculturation, machismo, caballerismo, marianismo, personalismo, individualism, and collectivism. We analyzed pre- and post-data from 235 Latinx college students who participated in eight sessions of one of two types of psychoeducational groups (one for dating violence prevention and one for stress management), using a multivariate general linear model (GLM) examining the relationships between our gender and cultural variables on two total group cohesion measures (GCS and GSRS). This finding partially supports our hypotheses regarding the association between cultural correlates and group cohesion: collectivistic attitudes among Latinx group members were associated with improved group cohesion. These findings have relevance for the implementation of group psychotherapy with Latinx people.

"I'm Like A Chameleon": An Exploration of the Experiences of Mexican American Women Who Are Group Psychotherapists-in-Training.

The purpose of this study was to explore the tasks, challenges, and perspectives of group-therapy leadership among Mexican American women who are psychotherapists-in-training. The literature regarding counselor and psychotherapist development suggests that culture and gender interact and shape group leadership, along with the group leader's effectiveness, behavior, and style. This study sought to answer the following research questions: (1) What are the experiences of group leadership of Mexican American women who are psychotherapists-in-training (PITs)? (2) What tasks and challenges do Mexican American women PITs encounter as group psychotherapy leaders? Results suggest that Mexican American women group PITs encounter obstacles to group leadership associated with their cultural and professional identities. However, consistent with Anzaldúa's borderlands theory, the Mexican American women group PITs in this study straddle two cultures and competing demands while also turning obstacles into sources of empowerment and strength. Implications for training and supervision of Mexican American women group PITs are discussed.

DRIVEN to Stop Violence: A Group Intervention to Prevent Dating Violence Among Latino College Students.

We present results from the initial implementation of a psychoeducational group curriculum designed to prevent dating violence among Latino college students and fill a significant need for culturally responsive programming for this ethnic group. We developed the Dating Relationships Involving Violence End Now (DRIVEN) curriculum and tested it with a total of 112 Latino students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution located on the United States-Mexico border. Results from this initial study suggest DRIVEN had differing positive impacts on men (dating violence, attitudes, and the marianismo virtuosity subscale) and women (dating violence, perpetration, machismo, marianismo virtuosity subscale, and asserting displeasure). Implications include the need to implement and test culturally responsive group-based programs while considering the impact of gender dynamics.

Más allá de las barreras: Competency and practice considerations in language, cultural, and social issues when delivering group CPT to Hispanic immigrants.

High rates of under-assessed trauma and psychiatric disorders, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been reported among Hispanic immigrants, especially as related to immigration trauma. Multiple studies have shown group cognitive processing therapy (CPT) to be an effective evidence-based practice (EBP) for treatment of PTSD across a number of clinical populations. To date, however, no studies have examined important competency and practice issues in linguistic, cultural, and ethical areas that group CPT providers should consider when delivering group CPT to Hispanic immigrants. This paper aims to outline these and provide future directions for research.

Dating Violence Attitudes Among Latino College Students: An Examination of Gender, Machismo, and Marianismo.

This study sought to fill a gap in the literature by exploring the association of gender, machismo and marianismo, and acculturation to dating violence (DV) attitudes among a sample of Latino college students. A total of 305 students were recruited from a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) located on the United States-Mexico border. Results showed significant differences in all forms of DV attitudes across gender. Separate regression models for men and women showed a pattern of endorsing the traditional gender role of machismo was predictive of tolerant DV attitudes for men and women. The marianismo dimension of chastity and virtuosity was associated to a decrease in tolerant DV attitudes among men. In addition, acculturation's relationship to DV attitudes and gender role ideology was not significant. Overall, the findings highlight the need for DV programs to address culturally-based understandings of gender roles and their association to DV attitudes.

Employment status and intimate partner violence among Mexican women.

Exploring risk factors and profiles of intimate partner violence in other countries provides information about whether existing theories of this phenomenon hold consistent in different cultural settings. This study will present results of a regression analysis involving domestic violence among Mexican women (n = 83,159). Significant predictors of domestic violence among Mexican women included age, number of children in the household, income, education, self-esteem, family history of abuse, and controlling behavior of the husband. Women's employment status was not a significant predictor when all variables were included in the model; however, when controlling behavior of the husband was withdrawn from the model, women's employment status was a significant predictor of domestic violence toward women. Results from this research indicate that spousal controlling behavior may serve as a mediator of the predictive relationship between women's employment status and domestic violence among Mexican women. Findings provide support for continued exploration of the factors that mediate experiences of domestic violence among women worldwide.