Culturally Competent Psychotherapy for Hispanic/Latino Children and Adolescents

Racial and ethnic minority individuals experience health disparities and lag behind their non-minority counterparts in access to and utilization of health care, as well as in achieving positive treatment outcomes when services are utilized. Minorities also exhibit greater incidences of debilitating chronic disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are co-morbid with clinical depression (AHRQ, 2006; Nemeroff, Musselman, & Evans, 1998). Disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness among minority patients are as prevalent as those in primary health care treatment of physical diseases (Snowden, 2003; US DHHS, 2001). Major depression, minor depression, dysthymia, and anxiety are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders affecting Hispanic/Latino children, adolescents, adults, and elderly who seek treatment in primary care settings, and are associated with decreased functioning and increased reliance on health care services (Kessler, Bennewith, Lewis & Sharp, 2002; Lenze, Rogers, Martire, et al., 2001; Olafsdottir, Marcusson, & Skoog, 2001; Schulz, Beach, Ives, et al., 2000; Vourilehto, Melartin, & Isometsa, 2005). Moreover, the prevalence rate of depression is estimated to be higher than the general population among members of the Hispanic/Latino population (Gonzales, Haan, & Hinton, 2001; National Alliance of Hispanic Health (NAHH), 2004), who are as group younger, of lower socioeconomic status (SES), and more likely to drop out of school prior to high school graduation age. These prevalent psychiatric diagnoses are associated with decreased psychosocial and physical functioning, poorer health, greater utilization of primary care services, and increased health care costs (Domino, Maxwell, Cody, et al., 2008; Beekman, Deeg, Braam, et al., 1997; Luber, Meyers, Williams-Russo, et al., 2001).