The Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) assesses mental health service provider attitudes toward adopting evidence-based practices. The original scale development was done in one large California County using paper/pencil surveys. The present study examined the factor structure and internal consistency of the EBPAS in a sample of service providers from 17 states. Participants were mental health workers from agencies affiliated with communities funded under the federal Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the originally derived a priori factor structure of the EBPAS in this new more geographically diverse sample and with a different data collection method. Analyses also demonstrated better internal consistency than in the original psychometric analyses. This study supports the factor structure and reliability of the EBPAS.

We investigated the relations between affiliation with Mexican culture and self-esteem at baseline (Time 1 [T1]), and internalizing symptoms 2 years later (Time 2 [T2]) among a sample of high-risk Mexican American adolescents. Results indicated that T1 affiliation with Mexican culture was not related to T2 internalizing symptoms, controlling for T1 internalizing symptoms. The relation between T1 self-esteem and T2 internalizing symptoms was significant, controlling for T1 internalizing symptoms. Regression analyses revealed, for girls only, a significant interaction between affiliation with Mexican culture and self-esteem in the prediction of T2 internalizing symptoms. Specifically, low self-esteem was a risk factor for internalizing symptoms only among those girls minimally affiliated with Mexican culture. There was no significant interaction between cultural affiliation and self-esteem among Mexican American boys. Findings highlight the importance of gender and culture in risk processes for internalizing symptoms.