Culturally Adapted Preventive Interventions for Children and Adolescents

Abstract

As evidence to support the efficacy and long‐term benefits of interventions to prevent social, emotional, and behavioral problems of childhood and adolescence has accumulated steadily over the past three decades, scholars involved in intervention development and evaluation have tackled concerns about the relevance and fit of these interventions for distinct ethnic and racial minority groups. A critical mass of scholars have engaged the fundamental question as to whether intervention adaptation is required and, if so, how adaptations should be conducted to best reach and address the needs of diverse ethnocultural groups. In this chapter, we summarize the historical context, key conceptual challenges, and methods that have shaped the emerging field of cultural adaptation during this period. Current progress and empirical evidence regarding the effects and relative benefits of culturally adapted interventions are highlighted by presenting the most influential exemplars that have been developed and evaluated to date. Conclusions are offered about the current status of the field, future research directions, and remaining challenges for launching effective population‐based strategies that address the needs and health disparities of ethnocultural groups in the United States and internationally.

Cultural‐competence considerations for contemporary school‐based threat assessment

“…Variation in family and community systems—and, relatedly, patterns in cultural norms, language and communication, and treatment preferences and goals—have historically been overlooked, and culturally adapted, evidence‐based interventions have been slow to develop (Castro, Barrera, & Holleran steiker, ). Fortunately, recent attention to this need has resulted in descriptions of special methodological considerations for the development and testing of culturally adapted interventions (Castro et al, ; Gonzales, Lau, Murry, Pina, & Barrera, ) and in rigorous work describing their effectiveness (Rathod et al, ). In school psychology, culturally adapted interventions have been tested for academic‐skill and behavioral‐skill challenges (Castro‐Olivo, Preciado, Le, Marciante, & Garcia, ), social–emotional learning programs (Cramer & Castro‐Olivo, ), and trauma‐informed character development interventions (Lesser, Vacca, & Pineda, ).…”

“…Variation in family and community systems-and, relatedly, patterns in cultural norms, language and communication, and treatment preferences and goals-have historically been overlooked, and culturally adapted, evidence-based interventions have been slow to develop (Castro, Barrera, & Holleran steiker, 2010). Fortunately, recent attention to this need has resulted in descriptions of special methodological considerations for the development and testing of culturally adapted interventions (Castro et al, 2010;Gonzales, Lau, Murry, Pina, & Barrera, 2016) and in rigorous work describing their effectiveness (Rathod et al, 2018). In O'MALLEY ET AL.…”

A Cultural Adaptation of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Nepal

“…According to one meta-analysis by Gonzales and colleagues (2014), culturally adapted interventions demonstrate moderate effect sizes, with an average effect size of d = 0.45 compared to nonadapted control groups. However, a small but growing body of evidence suggests that cultural tailoring may have neutral or even potentially iatrogenic effects (e.g., Huey, 2013; Kliewer et al, 2011).…”

Effect of Middle School Interventions on Alcohol Misuse and Abuse in Mexican American High School Adolescents

“…29,30,53 Finally, Bridges/ Puentes was adapted to address culture-specific risks and promote cultural strengths, consistent with extant EBIs for Latinos. 54,55 This blend of evidence-based practices and good recruitment rates, retention, and fidelity provided a strong foundation for testing the sustained results of middle school prevention for Latinos.…”