Abstract
Latina adolescents are more likely to experience depressive symptoms and less likely to receive mental health treatment than White peers. The purpose of this study is to describe barriers to and facilitators of engagement in depression treatment among Latina adolescents. Twenty-five Latina young women (mean age = 16.7 years) with a history of depressive symptoms during adolescence participated in this qualitative descriptive study. Participants were recruited from clinical and community settings and were interviewed about their experiences with depression treatment. Using qualitative content analysis, we identified barriers to and facilitators of engagement in treatment for depression. Barriers included beliefs about depression and its treatments, negative experiences with treatment, and logistical problems. Facilitators included positive treatment outcomes, meaningful connection with a therapist, and family support of depression treatment. Mental health providers should minimize barriers and maximize facilitators to promote mental health treatment use and engagement among Latina adolescents with depressive symptoms.
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Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under award number T32NR007066, the International Society for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses Foundation, and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of these organizations.
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Stafford, A.M., Draucker, C.B. Barriers to and Facilitators of Mental Health Treatment Engagement Among Latina Adolescents. Community Ment Health J 56, 662–669 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00527-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00527-0