Healing through Parenting: An Intervention Delivery and Process of Change Model Developed with Low‐Income Latina/o Immigrant Families

Abstract

Low-income Latinas/os are exposed to widespread mental health disparities in the United States. Most recently, a resurgence of anti-immigration narratives has led vulnerable Latina/o immigrants to experience considerable contextual stressors with multiple deleterious consequences for their overall well-being, including significant disruptions to their parenting practices. Within this context of adversity and despite the multiple benefits associated with parent training (PT) prevention interventions, the availability of contextually and culturally relevant PT interventions remains limited in underserved Latina/o communities. This paper constitutes a contribution to this gap in knowledge by presenting a model of intervention delivery utilized in the dissemination of culturally adapted versions of the evidence-based intervention known as GenerationPMTO.© The proposed model also describes a process of change that we have documented in empirical research with low-income Latina/o immigrant parents who have been exposed to the adapted interventions. The manuscript is organized in four sections. First, an overview of the model is discussed, along with a brief summary of major theories. Next, the core components of the model are described, complemented by the presentation of a case study. Finally, implications for prevention and clinical intervention are discussed.

Distributive Justice in Family Relations

“…Moreover, the lens of distributive justice may be useful in educational, preventative or clinical interventions: First, it provides a coherent conceptual framing and a strong empirical basis for understanding everyday experiences of injustice in the family (such as identifying comparison processes or attribution of responsibility), and for encouraging the awareness of justice‐related concerns among family members (Parra‐Cardona, 2019). Second, it embeds everyday experiences in the family in broader social circumstances, thus allowing for a fuller, contextualized understanding.…”

Parent Support Programmes for Families Who are Immigrants: A Scoping Review

“…A total of 14 interventions were studied two times or more in original studies or reports and two study protocols were designed to use the same intervention. These 14 interventions were Padres Informados/Jóvenes Preparados (PI/JP) [ 25 , 31 , 98 ], Happy Families Program (HFP) (adapted from the Strengthening Families Program) [ 23 , 88 ], Generation PMTO (Parent Management Training- Oregon model) [ 43 – 45 , 83 , 84 ], Supported Playgroups [ 57 , 68 ], Caregiver Supported Intervention (CSI) [ 102 , 103 ] and incredible years [ 58 , 73 , 74 , 85 , 95 ], CAPAS-Original/CAPAS-Enhanced (based on PMTO) [ 36 , 45 , 105 ], Family Communication [ 38 , 39 ], Connect- Programme (Ladnaan- programme = Connect- programme + information on Swedish society) [ 75 , 86 , 87 ], Familias Unidas [ 40 , 41 ], Migrant Education Event Start (MEES) [ 47 , 48 ], Social Support Intervention [ 81 , 100 ], Fortalezas Familieares (FF): Family Strengths [ 49 – 51 ] and Coffee and Family Education and Support (CAFES) [ 93 , 101 ]. These interventions are presented (rationale of intervention, methods to reach participants, intervention procedures and materials, delivery of intervention and tailoring) in Table 2 , and synthesised in the following sections.…”

“…30 min for dinner): 4 sessions for parents, 1 session for parents and youth in independent topics, 3 sessions for parents and youth in parallel topics; by bicultural and bilingual facilitators with appropriate education and working experience; in Latinx community serving agencies Cultural adaption via CBPR approach Annan et al [ 23 ], Puffer et al [ 88 ] HFP: Happy Families Program (adapted from the strenghtening Families Program) To support parenting skills to prevent mental health problems Parallel group sessions for caregivers and children; lectures, demonstrations, roleplay, in vivo practice 12 (14) weekly 2.5 h sessions (incl. lunch together); by trained facilitators; in local community services Cultural adaptation via qualitative approach Ballard et al [ 71 ], Bjørknes and Manger [ 84 ], Bjørknes et al [ 83 ], Parra Cardona [ 43 ], Parra Cardona et al [ 44 ] GenerationPMTO: parent Management Training- Oregon model To help parents manage children’s misbehavior Group sessions; encouragement of positive behavior, positive involvement; monitoring, problem-solving, homework exercises 10–18 weekly 1.5 (2) hours sessions; by trained providers (simultaneous translation) Cultural adaptation via qualitative approach Guo and Gray [ 57 ], Warr et al [ 68 ] Supported Playgroups To support families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds Cross-cultural playgroups, language specific playgroups, playgroups for refugees and asylum seekers; organized social and play-based activities Playgroup-sessions; by playgroup facilitators; in community-based organizations Need-based tailoring ISRCTN33665023 [ 103 ], ISRCTN22321773 [ 102 ] CSI: Caregiver Supported Intervention To strengthen caregiver’s psychosocial wellbeing and parenting Group sessions; interventions to reduce stress, strengthen psychosocial wellbeing, and strengthen parenting by increasing warm and responsive parent–child interactions and decreasing harsh parenting Nine 2 h sessions; by trained and supervised non-mental health specialist; in lo...…”

“…The parent support programmes were generally targeted either to support [ 23 , 49 – 51 , 57 , 68 , 81 , 88 , 93 , 100 , 101 ], enhance [ 58 , 73 , 74 , 85 , 95 ] or to strengthen [ 36 , 44 , 45 , 105 ] parental skills and parenthood [ 102 , 103 ] or to prevent youth [ 25 , 31 , 40 , 41 ] and children’s [ 43 – 45 , 71 , 83 , 84 ] behavioural problems. Interventions were also targeted at enhancing family communication [ 38 , 39 ], strengthening the parent–child relationship [ 75 , 86 , 87 ] and enhancing parental involvement in children’s education [ 47 , 48 ].…”

A Phenomenological Study of Immigrant Parents of Adolescents with Delinquent Behavior in Israel

“…Further research should explore the efficacy of family‐based interventions which encourage communication between parents and their adolescent children, to explore whether they can facilitate closer, more involved relations. Examples of relevant interventions may be found in Parra‐Cardona (2019), Parra Cardona et al (2009), and Yakhnich and Teichman (2015). On a theoretical level, it adds to the literature stating the importance of considering parents as subjects (Gueta, 2018).…”