Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Volume 42, Issue 3, 2003, Pages 311-318

A school-based mental health program for traumatized latino immigrant children (Article)

Kataoka S.H.* , Stein B.D. , Jaycox L.H. , Wong M. , Escudero P. , Tu W. , Zaragoza C. , Fink A.
  • a University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, UCLA Health Services Research Center, 10920 Welshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024-6505, United States
  • b University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, RAND, United States
  • c RAND, United States
  • d Los Angeles Unified School District, United States
  • e Los Angeles Unified School District, United States
  • f RAND, United States
  • g Los Angeles Unified School District, United States
  • h University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

Objective: To pilot-test a school mental health program for Latino immigrant students who have been exposed to community violence. Method: In this quasi-experimental study conducted from January through June 2000, 198 students in third through eighth grade with trauma-related depression and/or posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms were compared after receiving an intervention or being on a waitlist. The intervention consisted of a manual-based, eight-session, group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) delivered in Spanish by bilingual, bicultural school social workers. Parents and teachers were eligible to receive psychoeducation and support services. Results: Students in the intervention group (n = 152) had significantly greater improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms compared with those on the waitlist (n = 47) at 3-month follow-up, adjusting for relevant covariates. Conclusions: A collaborative research team of school clinicians, educators, and researchers developed this trauma-focused CBT program for Latino immigrant students and their families. This pilot test demonstrated that this program for traumatized youths, designed for delivery on school campuses by school clinicians, can be implemented and evaluated in the school setting and is associated with a modest decline in trauma-related mental health problems.

Author Keywords

posttraumatic stress disorder Cognitive-behavioral therapy violence Treatment Latinos trauma

Index Keywords

teacher immigrant depression mental health service psychological aspect methodology behavior therapy follow up human statistics violence controlled study priority journal cognitive therapy Mental Health Services social worker Hispanic Americans student health program School Health Services Humans Hispanic school health service Treatment Outcome male parent female pilot study Article major clinical study migration posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Emigration and Immigration psychotrauma Pilot Projects Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0037364334&doi=10.1097%2f00004583-200303000-00011&partnerID=40&md5=8860b43d01d20a131db8b04076243d77
DOI: 10.1097/00004583-200303000-00011
ISSN: 08908567
Cited by: 250
Original Language: English