Abstract
Immigrant parents and their adolescent children face unique stressors that have been linked to an increased prevalence of negative mental health outcomes. Limited research has evaluated the use of brief, culturally sensitive, school-based mental health programming for immigrant families. The current study sought to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of a mental health psychoeducational program for immigrant parents of adolescents. Additionally, the current study sought to explore the role of parental demographic characteristics on these outcomes. Sixty-seven immigrant parents of adolescents from urban communities participated in a pilot evaluation of a brief mental health program designed to educate parents regarding stressors their adolescents face and how to increase positive communication. Results suggest that immigrant participants perceived the training as both acceptable and effective in increasing their knowledge. Moreover, results indicated higher ratings of the training’s acceptability and effectiveness among younger parents, as well as those who identified as Latino/a. Implications for school mental health professionals serving immigrant parent populations are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
At the time of the study, demographic labels such as Asian/Pacific Islander and Latino/a were more commonly used and accepted. We identify our Asian/Pacific Islander participants as “Chinese” given the common country of origin they share. We maintained the use of Latino/a given the diversity in country of origin for these participants.
References
Ahmadimehr, Z., & Yousefi, Z. (2014). Predicting adolescence depression: Resiliency and family factors. SOP Transactions on Psychology, 1(2), 1–10.
Alegría, M., Mulvaney-Day, N., Woo, M., Torres, M., Gao, S., & Oddo, V. (2007). Correlates of past-year mental health service use among Latinos: Results from the National Latino and Asian American Study. American Journal of Public Health, 97(1), 76–83.
Alegria, M., Vallas, M., & Pumariega, A. J. (2010). Racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric mental health. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 19, 759–774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2010.07.001
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Arora, P. G., Alvarez, K., Huang, C., & Wang, C. (2021). A three-tiered model for addressing the mental health needs of immigrant-origin youth in schools. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 23, 151–162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-01048-9
Arora, P. G., & Khoo, O. (2020). Sources of stress and barriers to mental health service use among Asian immigrant-origin youth: A qualitative exploration. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(9), 2590–2601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01765-7
Bámaca-Colbert, M. Y., & Gayles, J. G. (2010). Variable-centered and person-centered approaches to studying Mexican-origin mother-daughter cultural orientation dissonance. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(11), 1274–1292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-009-9447-3
Bernal, G., Jiménez-Chafey, M. I., & Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. (2009). Cultural adaptation of treatments: A resource for considering culture in evidence-based practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(4), 361–368. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016401
Berry, J. W., Kim, U., Minde, T., & Mok, D. (1987). Comparative studies of acculturative stress. International Migration Review, 21(3), 491–511. https://doi.org/10.1177/019791838702100303
Bisaga, K., Whitaker, A., Davies, M., Chuang, S., Feldman, J., & Walsh, B. T. (2005). Eating disorder and depressive symptoms in urban high school girls from different ethnic backgrounds. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 26(4), 257–266.
Borrego, J., Jr., Ibanez, E. S., Spendlove, S. J., & Pemberton, J. R. (2007). Treatment acceptability among Mexican American parents. Behavior Therapy, 38(3), 218–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2006.08.007
Budiman, A., Tamir, C., Mora, L., & Noe-Bustamante, L. (2020). Facts on U.S. immigrants, 2018: Statistical portrait of the foreign-born population in the United States. Retrieved January 14, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2020/08/20/facts-on-u-s-immigrants/
Cairns, K. E., Yap, M. B., Reavley, N. J., & Jorm, A. F. (2015). Identifying prevention strategies for adolescents to reduce their risk of depression: A Delphi consensus study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 183, 229–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.05.019
Cardamone-Breen, M. C., Jorm, A. F., Lawrence, K. A., Rapee, R. M., Mackinnon, A. J., & Yap, M. B. H. (2018). A single-session, web-based parenting intervention to prevent adolescent depression and anxiety disorders: Randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20(4), 156–178. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9499
Cardemil, E. V., Kim, S., Davidson, T., Sarmiento, I. A., Ishikawa, R. Z., Sanchez, M., & Torres, S. (2010). Developing a culturally appropriate depression prevention program: Opportunities and challenges. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 17(2), 188–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2010.01.005
Cheung, B. Y., Chudek, M., & Heine, S. J. (2011). Evidence for a sensitive period for acculturation: Younger immigrants report acculturating at a faster rate. Psychological Science, 22(2), 147–152. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610394661
Child Trends (2018). Immigrant children. https://www.childtrends.org/indicators/immigrant-children
Chung, G. H., Flook, L., & Fuligni, A. J. (2009). Daily family conflict and emotional distress among adolescents from Latin American, Asian, and European backgrounds. Developmental Psychology, 45(5), 1406–1415. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014163
Clayton, S., Chin, T., Blackburn, S., & Echeverria, C. (2010). Different setting, different care: Integrating prevention and clinical care in school-based health centers. American Journal of Public Health, 100(9), 1592–1596. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.186668
Committee on School Health. (2004). School-based mental health services. Pediatrics, 113(6), 1839–1845. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.113.6.1839
Córdova, D., Jr., & Cervantes, R. C. (2010). Intergroup and within-group perceived discrimination among US-born and foreign-born Latino youth. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 32(2), 259–274. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739986310362371
Cummings, J. R., & Druss, B. G. (2011). Racial/ethnic differences in mental health service use among adolescents with major depression. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 50(2), 160–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2010.11.004
Deater-Deckard, K., Lansford, J. E., Malone, P. S., Alampay, L. P., Sorbring, E., Bacchini, D., Bombi, A. S., Bornstein, M. H., Chang, L., & Di Giunta, L. (2011). The association between parental warmth and control in thirteen cultural groups. Journal of Family Psychology, 25(5), 790–794. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025120
DeNavas-Walt, C., & Proctor, B. D. (2015). Income and Poverty in the United States: 2014. U.S. Census Bureau.
D’Onofrio, C., Krampner, J., Shin, J., Silitonga, D., & Virgin, V. (2016). CEO poverty measure 2005–2014: An annual report from the office of the mayor. Mayor’s Office of Operations.
Fabrizio, C. S., Lam, T. H., Hirschmann, M. R., & Stewart, S. M. (2013). A brief parenting intervention to enhance the parent–child relationship in Hong Kong: Harmony@ Home. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 22(5), 603–613. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9614-0
Fosco, G. M., Van Ryzin, M. J., Connell, A. M., & Stormshak, E. A. (2016). Preventing adolescent depression with the family check-up: Examining family conflict as a mechanism of change. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(1), 82–92. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000147
Fung, J., Kim, J. J., Jin, J., Chen, G., Bear, L., & Lau, A. S. (2019). A randomized trial evaluating school-based mindfulness intervention for ethnic minority youth: Explroing mediatros and moderators of intervention effects. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0425-7
Grieco, E. M., Trevelyan, E., Larsen, L., Acosta, Y. D., Gambino, C., De La Cruz, P., Gryn, T., & Walters, N. (2012). The size, place of birth, and geographic distribution of the foreign-born population in the United States: 1960 to 2010. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division.
Griner, D., & Smith, T. B. (2006). Culturally adapted mental health intervention: A meta-analytic review. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 43(4), 531–548. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.43.4.531
Gudiño, O. G., Lau, A. S., & Hough, R. L. (2008). Immigrant status, mental health need, and mental health service utilization among high-risk Hispanic and Asian Pacific Islander Youth. Child & Youth Care Forum, 37(3), 139–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-008-9056-4
Han, Y. (2014). Differential size of the discrimination-depression relationship among adolescents of foreign-born parents in the U.S. Child & Youth Care Forum, 43(6), 763–781. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-014-9265-y
Ho, J., Yeh, M., McCabe, K., & Lau, A. (2012). Perceptions of the acceptability of parent training among Chinese immigrant parents: Contributions of cultural factors and clinical need. Behavior Therapy, 43(2), 436–449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2011.10.004
Joussemet, M., Mageau, G. A., & Koestner, R. (2014). Promoting optimal parenting and children’s mental health: A preliminary evaluation of the how-to parenting program. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 23(6), 949–964. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9751-0
Juang, L. P., & Cookston, J. T. (2009). Acculturation, discrimination, and depressive symptoms among Chinese American adolescents: A longitudinal study. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 30(3–4), 475–496. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-009-0177-9
Juang, L. P., Syed, M., Cookston, J. T., Wang, Y., & Kim, S. Y. (2012). Acculturation-based and everyday family conflict in Chinese American families. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2012(135), 13–34. https://doi.org/10.1002/cd.20002
Juang, L. P., & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2012). Family conflict among Chinese- and Mexican-origin adolescents and their parents in the U.S.: An introduction. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2012(135), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/cd.20001
Katsiaficas, D., Suárez-Orozco, C., Sirin, S. R., & Gupta, T. (2013). Mediators of the relationship between acculturative stress and internalization symptoms for immigrant origin youth. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 19(1), 27–31. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031094
Kiang, L., & Bhattacharjee, K. (2019). Developmental change and correlates of autonomy in Asian American adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48(2), 410–421. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0909-3
Lansford, J. E., Godwin, J., Al-Hassan, S. M., Bacchini, D., Bornstein, M. H., Chang, L., ... & Zelli, A. (2018). Longitudinal associations between parenting and youth adjustment in twelve cultural groups: Cultural normativeness of parenting as a moderator. Developmental Psychology, 54(2), 362–377. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000416
Lau, A. S., Fung, J. J., Ho, L. Y., Liu, L. L., & Gudiño, O. G. (2011). Parent training with high-risk immigrant Chinese families: A pilot group randomized trial yielding practice-based evidence. Behavior Therapy, 42(3), 413–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2010.11.001
Leaf, P. J., Alegria, M., Cohen, P., Goodman, S. H., Horwitz, S. M., Hoven, C. W., ... & Regier, D. A. (1996). Mental health service use in the community and schools: Results from the four-community MECA study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 35(7), 889–897.
Li, Y. (2014). Intergenerational conflict, attitudinal familism, and depressive symptoms among Asian and Hispanic adolescents in immigrant families: A latent variable interaction analysis. Journal of Social Service Research, 40(1), 80–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2013.8451128
Linehan, M. (2015). DBT Skills Training Manual (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Ling, A., Okazaki, S., Tu, M. C., & Kim, J. J. (2014). Challenges in meeting the mental health needs of urban Asian American adolescents: Service providers’ perspectives. Race and Social Problems, 6(1), 25–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-014-9117-2
Logan, D. E., & King, C. A. (2002). Parental identification of depression and mental health service use among depressed adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(3), 296–304. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-200203000-00009
McBrien, J. L. (2005). Educational needs and barriers for refugee students in the United States: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 75(3), 329–364.
Merikangas, K. R., He, J.-p., Burstein, M., Swanson, S. A., Avenevoli, S., Cui, L., Benjet, C., Georgiades, K., & Swendsen, J. (2010). Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in U.S. adolescents: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication–Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(10), 980–989. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2010.05.017
Migration Policy Institute (2017). Children in U.S. immigrant families: Number and share of the total U.S. child population, by age group and state [Data Tabulation]. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/charts/children-immigrant-families?width=1000&height=850&iframe=true
Migration Policy Institute (2020). Immigrant population by state, 1990-present. [Data Tabluatioon]. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/charts/immigrant-population-state-1990-present?width=1000&height=850&iframe=true
Mistry, R. S., Benner, A. D., Tan, C. S., & Kim, S. Y. (2009). Family economic stress and academic well-being among Chinese-American youth: The influence of adolescents’ perceptions of economic strain. Journal of Family Psychology, 23(3), 279–290. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015403
Mytton, J., Ingram, J., Manns, S., & Thomas, J. (2014). Facilitators and barriers to engagement in parenting programs: A qualitative systematic review. Health Education & Behavior, 41(2), 127–137. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198113485755
Nastasi, B. K., Moore, R. B., & Varjas, K. M. (2004). School-based mental health services: Creat- ing comprehensive and culturally specific programs. American Psychological Association.
New York State Education Department. (2017). Schools | NYSED Data Site. https://data.nysed.gov/lists.php?type=school
Olcoń, K., & Gulbas, L. E. (2018). “Because that’s the culture”: Providers’ perspectives on the mental health of Latino immigrant youth. Qualitative Health Research, 28(12), 1944–1954. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732318795674
Potochnick, S. R., & Perreira, K. M. (2010). Depression and anxiety among first-generation immigrant Latino youth: Key correlates and implications for future research. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 198(7), 470–477. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181e4ce24
Rathus, J. H., & Miller, A. L. (2014). DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents. Guilford Publications.
Rao, A. (2018). The acceptability and perceived effectiveness of a psychoeducational session on parent-adolescent communication for immigrant parents. [Doctoral Dissertation, Pace University]. ETD Collection for Pace University. https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/dissertations/AAI10868441
Rao, A., Myszkowski, N., & Arora, P. G. (2019). The acceptability and perceived effectiveness of a psychoeducational program on positive parent-adolescent relationships for Asian immigrant parents. The School Psychologist, 73(1), 11–20.
Ríos-Salas, V., & Larson, A. (2015). Perceived discrimination, socioeconomic status, and mental health among Latino adolescents in U.S. immigrant families. Children and Youth Services Review, 56, 116–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.07.011
Roche, K. M., Lambert, S. F., White, R. M., Calzada, E. J., Little, T. D., Kuperminc, G. P., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2019). Autonomy-related parenting processes and adolescent adjustment in Latinx immigrant families. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48(6), 1161–1174.
Roselló, J., Bernal, G., & Rivera-Medina, C. (2008). Individual and group CBT and IPT for Puerto Rican adolescents with depressive symptoms. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 14(3), 234–245. https://doi.org/10.1037/1099.9809.14.3.234
Saluja, G., Iachan, R., Scheidt, P. C., Overpeck, M. D., Sun, W., & Giedd, J. N. (2004). Prevalence of and risk factors for depressive symptoms among young adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 158(8), 760–765. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.158.8.760
Schleider, J. L., Dobias, M. L., Sung, J. Y., & Mullarkey, M. C. (2020). Future directions in single-session youth mental health interventions. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 49(2), 264–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2019.1683852
Schwartz, S. J., Pantin, H., Sullivan, S., Prado, G., & Szapocznik, J. (2006). Nativity and years in the receiving culture as markers of acculturation in ethnic enclaves. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 37(3), 345–353. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022106286928
Shin, S.-K. (2004). Effects of culturally relevant psychoeducation for Korean American families of persons with chronic mental illness. Research on Social Work Practice, 14(4), 231–239. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731503262130
Sirin, S. R., Ryce, P., Gupta, T., & Rogers-Sirin, L. (2013). The role of acculturative stress on mental health symptoms for immigrant adolescents: A longitudinal investigation. Developmental Psychology, 49(4), 736–748. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028398
Smokowski, P. R., & Bacallao, M. (2009). Entre Dos Mundos/Between Two Worlds: Youth violence prevention for acculturating Latino families. Research on Social Work Practice, 19(2), 165–178. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731508315989
Suárez-Orozco, C., Bang, H. J., & Kim, H. Y. (2011). I felt like my heart was staying behind: Psychological implications of family separations & reunifications for immigrant youth. Journal of Adolescent Research, 26(2), 222–257. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558410376830
Sulaiman, C. (2014). Parenting dimensions and internalizing symptoms among low-income latino adolescents: Cultural values as moderators [Master’s thesis]. College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations.
Tseng, V. (2004). Family interdependence and academic adjustment in college: Youth from immigrant and US-born families. Child Development, 75(3), 966–983. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00717.x
Tummala-Narra, P. (2015). Ethnic identity, perceived support, and depressive symptoms among racial minority immigrant-origin adolescents. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 85(1), 23–33. https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000022
Vaughn-Coaxum, R. A., Mair, P., & Weisz, J. R. (2016). Racial/ethnic differences in youth depression indicators: An item response theory analysis of symptoms reported by White, Black, Asian, and Latino youths. Clinical Psychological Science, 4(2), 239–253. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702615591768
Vernberg, E. M., Roberts, M. C., & Nyre, J. E. (2008). The intensive mental health program: Development and structure of the model of intervention for children with serious emotional disturbances. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 17, 169–177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-007-9157-y
Wang, C., Do, K. A., Frese, K., & Zheng, L. (2019). Asian immigrant parents’ perception of barriers preventing adolescents from seeking school-based mental health services. School Mental Health, 11(2), 364–377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-018-9285-0
Wang, C., Liu, J. L., Havewala, M., Zhu, Q., Do, K. A., & Shao, X. (2021). Parent-Child Connect: A culturally responsive parent training for Asian American parents at school. Psychology in the Schools, 58(8), 1624–1641. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22520
Weaver, S. R., & Kim, S. Y. (2008). A person-centered approach to studying the linkages among parent-child differences in cultural orientation, supportive parenting, and adolescent depressive symptoms in Chinese American families. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37(1), 36–49. https://doi.org/10.1007/x10964-007-9221-3
Yap, M. B. H., Morgan, A. J., Cairns, K., Jorm, A. F., Hetrick, S. E., & Meery, S. (2016). Parents in prevention: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of parenting interventions to prevent internalizing problems in children from birth to age 18. Clinical Psychology Review, 50, 138–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.10.003
Yap, M. B. H., Pilkington, P. D., Ryan, S. M., & Jorm, A. F. (2014). Parental factors associated with depression and anxiety in young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 156, 8–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2013.11.007
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Disclaimer
This article is based on the doctoral project completed by Rao (2018). The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, AR, upon reasonable request. This study was approved by and complied with Pace University’s Institutional Review Board. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Rao, A., Arora, P.G. & Myszkowski, N. A Pilot Evaluation of a School-Based Psychoeducational Program for Chinese and Latino/a Parents: Perceived Effectiveness and Acceptability. Contemp School Psychol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-023-00453-9
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-023-00453-9