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In 1998, Children Now surveyed 1,200 U.S. 10- to 17-year-olds about TV racial depictions, finding white children reported the most visibility. As a 25-year update, we surveyed 834 U.S. 10- to 17-year-olds: Asian/Asian American (n = 177), Black (n = 206), Hispanic (n = 150), Indigenous/Native American (n = 86), and white (n = 215). More youth now say it's important to see their race in media, but fewer report seeing their group, with Hispanic and Asian youth reporting the lowest frequencies. Overall, youth perceived disparities: 93% said there were 'enough' white characters; fewer said there were enough Black (54%), Hispanic (43%), Asian (32%), and Indigenous (19%) characters. Perceptions of qualities varied, with Indigenous characters scoring lowest in positive qualities and Black and Hispanic characters highest in negative qualities. Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian/Asian American youth perceived fewer positive ingroup representations than white and Black youth. Implications for media message design and the theory of invisibility are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research is needed to examine discrimination-related stressors and their social and psychological shaping of mental health and sleep outcomes of Latinx youth. The background, design, and methodology of a longitudinal study of Mexican families in Indiana and the initial findings of associations between discrimination-related stressors and youth mental health and sleep outcomes are presented. Initiating wave 1 of a 3-wave (yearly) longitudinal study, investigators surveyed an ethnically homogeneous sample of 344 Mexican-origin adolescents (ages 12-15) and their primary caregivers, assessing risks and protective factors for mental health and sleep outcomes. Youth also completed a one-time 21-day daily diary after wave 1. Self-reported measures of youth mental health, sleep, and discrimination across wave 1 and the daily diary were evaluated to compare the cross-sectional (wave 1) and daily associations between discrimination and youth mental health and sleep outcomes. Of youth, 88.1% reported at least one incident of lifetime discrimination. Almost one-third had elevated depressive symptoms, 44.5% had probable generalized anxiety disorder, and 50.9% had poor sleep quality. Between-youth correlations at wave 1 and in the daily diary were consistent in that perceived racial discrimination was positively correlated with worse mental health and poorer sleep quality. Smaller within-youth correlations were observed in the daily diary, but there was striking variability in the effect of discrimination across youth. The present results illustrate the powerful methods of combining yearly and daily time data to investigate how and for whom discrimination-related stressors lead to adverse outcomes. Latinx youth are the largest and fastest growing minoritized youth group in the United States. This study surveyed 344 Mexican-origin adolescents and their primary caregivers to assess risk and protective factors for mental health and sleep outcomes. The authors found that 88.1% of youth reported at least one incident of lifetime discrimination, 29.7% reported elevated depressive symptoms, 44.5% reported elevated anxiety symptoms, and 50.9% reported poor sleep quality. Youth who experienced racial discrimination were more likely to have worse mental health and lower sleep quality than those who did not experience racial discrimination. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented sexual and/or gender groups in science. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our reference list. Seguimos Avanzando - Latino Youth Coping With Discrimination; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ ; NCT04875208. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Introduction Method Results Conclusions Although eating disorders (EDs) affect youth from all socioeconomic backgrounds, little is known about the treatment experiences of under‐resourced youth with EDs. To address this gap, we examined patterns of outpatient and inpatient service utilization among publicly–insured youth with EDs in California and potential disparities for youth with additional marginalized identities.Participants were identified from the full sample of California Medicaid/Medi‐Cal beneficiaries aged 7–18 with ≥ 1 service episode between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2016. Claims data were extracted for youth with a full year of claims after the first known ED diagnosis (N = 3311) to analyze outpatient mental health, outpatient medical/physical, inpatient mental health, and inpatient medical/physical service use across ED diagnosis and demographic characteristics (sex, age, race/ethnicity, and preferred language).Outpatient individual and family therapy service utilization was low across ED diagnoses (4–7 individual therapy sessions and ≈5 family therapy sessions annually). Conversely, hospitalization rates were high, particularly among youth with anorexia nervosa (27.8%) and bulimia nervosa (30.0%). Youth with other specified feeding or ED had high medical service utilization, with more days of outpatient medical care and greater odds of medical hospitalization than youth with all other diagnoses. Latinx youth, Black youth, and boys tended to receive fewer services after accounting for diagnosis, with disparities particularly pronounced for Latinx youth.Publicly–insured youth with EDs in California experience high hospitalization rates but receive limited outpatient therapy. Additional research is needed to identify possible unmet needs and factors contributing to treatment disparities among these youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the role of media in family discussions of race and ethnicity, we surveyed a U.S. sample of 834 Asian/Asian American, Black, Hispanic, Indigenous/Native American, and White 10- to 17-year-olds. Based on social relational theory, we conceived of media as a resource and locus for mutual influence, whereby parents and youth may mediate each other’s exposure to ethnic-racial depictions. Consistent with conceptions of race/ethnicity as vertical identities (shared by parent and child, socialized primarily by parents because of relevant, lived experience), youths overall reported that their parents (vs. they) engaged in more mediation. However, as hypothesized, older youths and those whose parents were adult immigrants reported more mutual mediation. Contrary to hypotheses, the direction of mediation did not vary based on whether parents and youth had the same ethnic-racial background. Notably, there was no single set of media-based socialization practices in families of color, distinct from White families. For example, Black youths reported more parental mediation than Asian/Asian American and Indigenous/Native American youths, and White and Hispanic youth fell in between. However, all minoritized ethnic-racial groups reported somewhat fewer positive media-based discussions of race and ethnicity than White youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use among youth is associated with adverse consequences and may increase vulnerability to addiction and psychiatric disorders later in life. Sociocultural factors such as discrimination have been associated with substance use, while positive cultural resources, such as enculturation and familism, have demonstrated protective outcomes. However, few studies have highlighted how family factors influence substance use among Latinx youth during their transition from adolescence to young adulthood. This study used longitudinal data to explore the associations between sociocultural factors, family factors, childhood adversity, and substance use among Latinx youth. The data were from a longitudinal study of acculturation and substance use among Latinx youth in Southern California (n = 1257, 52.1% female, mixed socioeconomic status). The average age was 14.5 (SD = 0.39). Data collection began in 2005 and ended in 2016. Hierarchical regression models showed that discrimination was associated with higher problematic alcohol susceptibility. Childhood adversity was associated with higher odds of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Parental communication was associated with lower odds of problematic alcohol and marijuana use. To promote youth well‐being, preventive efforts should prioritize reducing childhood adversity and discrimination, while fostering positive family relationships. Overall, our findings suggest the need for interventions targeting various systemic levels to effectively address substance use among Latinx youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many Latinx families, the core value of familismo is used in family-based decisions. Although not always culturally bonded, attributes of familismo are distinct across generations. For new Latinx youth, navigating the responsibility of community and familial relationships can be difficult when entering higher education. In the following study, researchers examined the role of familismo in relation to ethnic identity and belongingness among a sample of 98 Latinx university students through semi-structured interviews. The researchers discuss how the Latinx student populations handle the stress of higher education while maintaining cultural identity and traditional values of familismo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) scholarship emphasizes that differing ACEs affect the onset and course of psychopathology, and that sociopolitical context contributes to ACEs experienced by marginalized youth. Guided by the Immigration-Related Adverse Childhood Experiences Model, we explored the associations between different ACEs—immigration enforcement fear and perceived economic hardship—on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among first and second-generation Latinx youth in immigrant families. Participants (n = 306) included students from 11 high schools in two states (58% female; 25% aged 17 or older). Fifty-three percent were first generation students and 80% were born in, or had a parent from, Mexico or Central America. We found that immigration enforcement fear predicted greater PTSD symptoms after accounting for other key covariates. Perceived economic hardship was associated with depression across all subscales. Findings highlight the need for a multidimensional approach to assess and understand how ACEs, including immigration enforcement fear, influence mental health for youth in Latinx immigrant families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Latinx immigrant youth are at greater risk for mental health (MH) concerns than their nonimmigrant Latinx peers. Efforts to address mental health disparities have resulted in the much-needed development of theoretical frameworks explaining mental health disparities in marginalized populations. A theoretical framework that is particularly relevant to mental health disparities among Latinx immigrant youth is the Cultural Stress Theory (CST); however, an expansion of this model is necessary to thoroughly describe and explain mental health risk in this population. Method: This article integrates two frameworks—Toxic Stress Theory and the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities research framework—with CST to better explain mental health risk in Latinx immigrant youth. In doing so, we propose an expanded model that seeks to build on the strengths of CST in two important ways—expanding the breadth of relevant ecological domains and emphasizing the continued focus on specific mechanisms and their associations across levels. Results: The proposed expanded CST model acknowledges a range of influences from the broad systemic and sociopolitical level to the biological level to comprehensively guide research that can better explain mental health risk in Latinx immigrant youth. Conclusions: An expanded CST model that incorporates the two highlighted frameworks can elucidate additional mechanisms by which cultural stressors influence mental health risk in Latinx immigrant youth. Such mechanistic work holds the key to effectively reducing mental health disparities for Latinx immigrant youth. Public Significance Statement: Decades of research has shown that mental health risk continues to be a serious public health problem for Latinx immigrant youth. However, progress made toward reducing these mental health disparities has been slow. The proposed expanded CST can guide future research in identifying avenues for more effectively reducing these long-standing mental health inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study derived parent–child acculturative stress (AS) profiles to evaluate how dyadic AS relates to parental expressed emotion (EE) and academic achievement. Method: A sample of 284 Latinx youth (Mage = 11.5 years; 55.6% female) and their parents completed The Acculturative Stress Measure, and AS profiles were obtained using latent profile analyses (LPA). Profiles were compared across two outcomes: child and parent reports of parental EE using the Brief Dyadic Scale of Expressed Emotion, which measures parental warmth, criticism, and emotional overinvolvement (EOI), and child standardized test scores. Results: Four AS profiles emerged using LPA fit indices: high child-low parent (HCLP; 7.7%), low child-high parent (LCHP; 13.4%), moderate child-low parent (MCLP; 14.4%), and low child-low parent (LCLP; 64.4%). Youth and parents in profiles reporting higher AS reported higher EE, particularly EOI. Youth in profiles characterized by greater AS obtained lower test scores. Conclusion: Parent and child dyads can experience different levels of AS. Higher dyadic AS was associated with worse perceived parental attitudes, as measured by EE, and lower academic achievement. Parental EE subscale differences varied based on the informant and their AS level. Findings underscore the importance of considering cultural factors and incorporating multiple family member experiences to meet the needs of Latinx families. Public Significance Statement: Among Latinx families, parents and youth can experience different degrees of acculturative stress, which relates to negative parental attitudes toward the child and worse academic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine how cultural stressors (ethnic–racial discrimination, immigration-related threat, and COVID-19 stress) influence critical reflection, motivation, and action among Latinx adolescents and whether parental preparation for bias moderates these relations. Method: One hundred thirty-five Latinx adolescents (Mage = 16, 59.3% female, 85.2% U.S.-born) completed online surveys at two time points, 6 months apart. Results: Immigration-related threat was associated with greater Time 1 (T1) critical reflection (β =.31, p <.05) and Time 2 (T2) critical motivation (β =.24, p <.01). Preparation for bias moderated the relation between immigration-related threat and T1 critical action (β =.18, p <.01). COVID-19 stress was associated with greater T1 critical motivation (β =.24, p <.01) and T2 critical action (β =.18, p =.01). Conclusions: Cultural stressors may alert Latinx youth to systemic injustices in the United States, and combined with parental messages, may empower youth to address inequities. Public Significance Statement: Cultural stressors (i.e., immigration-related threat and COVID-19 stress) were associated with youths' understanding of broader social inequities, recognition of the importance of addressing social injustice, and actions taken to challenge these inequities. Further, parental conversations about bias were linked to greater youth engagement in action to create social change. This awareness and empowerment may support other positive outcomes like mental well-being and academic flourishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This qualitative investigation examined how Latinx/Hispanic youth experience cultural stressors, emotionally react to, and cope with these stressors within the family context. Method: Forty-five youth participated in six focus groups (51% female; 49% male; 0% nonbinary; Mage = 15.26; SD = 0.79). Results: Using reflexive thematic analysis, we constructed two themes with four accompanying subthemes centering on (a) observing family members experience cultural stressors and (b) experiencing cultural stressors together with family members. Conclusions: Findings highlight the need for cultural stress theory to focus on the family context in Latinx/Hispanic youths' experiences of cultural stressors, their emotional reactions and coping responses to these stressors. Public Significance Statement: This study suggests that the family context plays an important role in shaping how Latinx/Hispanic youth experience, emotionally react to, and cope with cultural stressors. The findings provide evidence to an existing family-level vicarious model but also stress the need for a more comprehensive cultural stress theory to guide future research in examining the effects of cultural stressors on Latinx/Hispanic youths' adjustment within context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Hispanic/Latinx youth vary in their immigration heritage (e.g., country of origin, familial migration history, etc.) and the structure of their communities. This study is a qualitative exploration of Hispanic/Latinx youth experiences of cultural stress in Miami and Los Angeles in 2021. Method: A total of 23 Hispanic/Latinx adolescents in Los Angeles (n = 12) and Miami (n = 11) provided in-depth interviews to assess: (a) appraisals of family immigration history and (b) experiences across three cultural stressors: sociopolitical, language brokering, and intragroup marginalization. Interviews were analyzed using a general inductive analytic approach and case comparison methodology to assess differences across sites. Results: For appraisals of family immigration history, gratitude and hope emerged as positive emotions experienced when youth reflected on their immigrant origins. Miami participants reported perceived worsening of sociopolitical stress as a result of changes in political administration whereas participants in Los Angeles felt a sense of relief. Participants in Miami and Los Angeles reported similar strengths and challenges in language brokering with COVID-19 variedly impacting youth's perceived language brokering stress. Last, to youth intragroup marginalization experienced from family members was experienced as more detrimental than from peers, and they reported the use of cognitive reframes to cope. Conclusion: Cultural stressors are dynamic and diverse. This study further informs cultural stress theory by cataloging how families' immigration history and national current events inform experiences of stress among youth. Public Significance Statement: In order to build interventions that address cultural and immigration related stressors among Hispanic/Latinx youth in the United States, it is important to understand the heterogeneity in experiences and saliency of specific cultural stressors. This study contextualizes experiences of cultural stress by analyzing differences across two cultural enclave sites during a national transition of political administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latinx youth are often engaged in critical action to transform social injustices, yet we know little about the wellbeing of Latinx youth activists. This study draws on critical ethnographic research to understand the multidimensions of wellbeing that Latinx youth experienced when they engaged in critical action toward anti-immigrant politics during the Trump Era. Data collected through open-ended interviews with Latinx youth who participated in social protests revealed that (a) concepts of wellbeing need to be extensively explored for a more nuanced understanding of its characteristics, and (b) when youth engage in critical action, they experience physical and socioemotional wellbeing in distinct ways. This research contributes to the critical consciousness and wellbeing scholarship by (1) adding to the dearth of research on Latinx youth physical wellbeing and critical action, (2) theorizing nuances of physical, mental, and socioemotional wellbeing as simultaneously present during critical action, and (3) centering the voices and experiences of Latinx youth, specifically Latina youth, who have historically been omitted from the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While schools are rapidly trying to recruit culturally and linguistically diverse educators, community-based organizations’ immigrant educators have already developed such practices within Latino immigrant populations. This study examines the funds of knowledge of four Latino immigrant youth educators who work with Latino adolescents in a community organization. Findings revealed that youth educators’ practices drew from their own lived experiences to prepare students to be academically successful while cultivating belonging and leadership within their community. This study offers implications for drawing upon the funds of knowledge of immigrant educators who can meet the needs of immigrant youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undermatching, or students attending less selective colleges than they are academically qualified to attend, is seen as a contributing factor to the lagging college completion rate of low-income and first-generation college students. Addressing the mismatch has been mainly limited to the individual level. Through analysis of interview and longitudinal school administrative data with aspiring first-generation college low-income Latinx youth who started preparing to attend college in middle school, we find that the need to work, which students started doing in high school, was a major factor in students' undermatching. We show how employment collides with the structure of colleges as racialized organizations (Ray, 2019), especially matching colleges with high graduation rates. Selective colleges did not provide the support students needed to address their financial situations, and students attending schools to which they undermatched required more assistance navigating work and schools to stop them from dropping out. We also discuss program and policy solutions to address the low college completion rates of Latinx first-generation college students more fully as well as how to better support their need to work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black and Latinx youth are more likely to be placed into foster care compared to non-Latinx white youth. Foster care placement can facilitate mental health service use, yet youth from marginalized and oppressed racial and ethnic groups in foster care are still less likely to receive mental health services compared to non-Latinx white youth. This study aims to examine this discrepancy Black and Latinx youth face by testing (a) whether mental health need moderates the relationship between race or ethnicity and foster care placement and (b) whether race or ethnicity moderates the relationship between foster care placement and mental health service use. Data come from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II), a longitudinal national probability study of youth in contact with the child welfare system. Internalizing need was associated with a decreased likelihood of foster care placement for non-Latinx white youth compared to those with no need; findings showed the opposite for Latinx youth. Race and ethnicity did not significantly moderate the relationship between foster care placement and mental health service use, although predicted probabilities suggest that differences in mental health service use were more pronounced for Black and Latinx youth in in-home and kinship care compared to non-kinship foster care. Results suggest that despite main effects of race and ethnicity on foster care placement and mental health service use, discrepancies across these outcomes are not explained by race and ethnicity alone. Findings highlight the need to comprehensively examine predictors together, rather than separately, when assessing foster care care placement and mental health service use. A multi-pronged approach is outlined for child welfare reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined Latinx adolescents' daily family assistance (assistance day, assistance time, language brokering) in relation to their daily affect and investigated whether the associations changed following the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Two waves of 14‐day daily diary data collected from 13 18‐year‐old Latinx adolescents (ndays = 284; 77% Mexican American, 77% female) before and amid the pandemic were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Three main findings emerged: (1) assisting the family on a given day was associated with higher levels of same‐day positive affect both before and during COVID‐19, and with lower levels of negative affect during COVID‐19; (2) longer than usual family assistance time was associated with higher levels of same‐day positive affect and lower levels of negative affect only during COVID‐19; (3) language brokering on a given day was associated with higher levels of same‐day positive affect both before and during COVID‐19. These findings suggest a positive link between daily family assistance and Latinx youth's daily emotional well‐being, particularly during the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural stressors related to racism, xenophobia, and navigating bicultural contexts can compromise the healthy development of Hispanic/Latinx/o (H/L) youth. Youth' coping can minimize the adverse impact of this stress. Less is known about the intermediary processes related to youths' cultural stressor experiences and coping responses. We analyzed focus group data from H/L youth (N = 45; 50% girls; 0% nonbinary; Mage = 15.3) to hear their voices on how they interpret, react to, are impacted by and cope with cultural stressors. Using a Grounded Theory approach, we constructed four themes of intermediary processes (e.g., meaning making) and four themes of coping (e.g., distancing oneself). Youth actively processed their experiences, which informed their coping choices, pointing to youths' agency and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culturally and linguistically relevant citizenship education (CLRCE) seeks to address and challenge the limitations of traditional, normative notions of citizenship for Latinx, newcomer, K-12 youth. This paper uses a comparative case study approach to examine the questions: To what extent does the CLRCE framework apply to multi-ethnic and multilingual contexts? In what ways do multilingual Eritrean, Iraqi, and Latinx youth engage with social studies and citizenship education? Our goal is to examine the emergent CLRCE framework and the extent to which it provides insights into the civic engagement of historically marginalized youth beyond newcomers, Latinx, and/or Spanish-speaking students. Our findings provide insights into how thirteen multilingual youth take up and extend the CLRCE framework in their particular contexts and communities, and how they approach and negotiate complex notions of citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study puts forth the counternarrative of the first author Gislaine, a first-generation undergraduate student, Latina, and computer science major. Gislaine participated in a research internship and STEM mentorship program led by the second author, Meredith. Through this program, Gislaine designed and taught CS lessons to predominantly low-income, African-American middle school students over an 8-day urban summer school program. By analyzing Gislaine's written account of her journey to CS, as well as planning documents and written reflections on her daily experiences mentoring youth, we explore how Gislaine's intersecting social identities shape her experiences both as a CS learner and as a mentor to youth. Gislaine's counternarrative illuminates the systems of oppression present in schools and the CS field, while also highlighting Gislaine's transformative approaches to mentoring students in CS. Gislaine's narratives emphasize the importance of humanizing CS and leveraging students' strengths to promote equitable access to CS education. Through her experiences, she underscores the significance of recognizing and addressing systemic barriers, while also advocating for inclusive and empowering educational practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latino immigrants within the United States experience various stressors, which have been linked to the development and exacerbation of internalizing symptoms among Latino youth. Therefore, it is crucial to explore factors that may buffer the impact of stress among immigrant families. Fathers may influence child outcomes through positive parenting behaviors, yet Latino fathers have been underrepresented in research. This study examined how paternal warmth and support may moderate the association between the accumulation of stress and child internalizing symptoms among low‐income, Latino immigrant families. Participants included 62 children between the ages of 6 and 10, and their paternal caregivers (94% fathers; 90% born in Mexico). This study utilized a multi‐method approach including parent‐report, child‐report and observational measures. Participants completed questionnaires and video‐recorded family interaction tasks during home visits. Stress was positively associated with child‐reported depression. Self‐reported paternal warmth was associated with fewer parent‐reported child internalizing symptoms and moderated the effects of stress on symptoms. Analyses showed a significant positive association between paternal stress and child internalizing symptoms for children with the lowest levels of parental warmth. However, when paternal warmth was high, accumulation of stress and child internalizing symptoms were not related. Thus, high levels of warmth buffered the impact of stress on internalizing symptoms. This study highlights the importance of Latino fathers’ parenting behaviors on child internalizing symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveMethodResultsConclusionsThe current observational study examined shared decision-making (SDM) with caregivers of Latinx youth within the delivery of multiple evidence-based practices (EBPs) in community mental health services. The aims of the study were to (1) Identify therapist and client factors associated with increased SDM within EBP sessions and (2) Examine the association between SDM and therapeutic alliance between community therapists and Latinx caregivers.The Observing Patient Involvement in Decision-Making (OPTION) instrument measured SDM in 210 audio-recorded therapy sessions with 62 community therapists (91.94% female; 69.35% Latinx) and 109 Latinx caregivers (91.43% female) of youth who were an average age of 8.26 years (SD = 3.59). We used the Therapy Process Observational Coding System for Child Psychotherapy-Alliance scale to measure the caregiver-therapist alliance observationally. Multilevel linear regressions were conducted to examine research questions.Greater SDM was observed within sessions where therapists targeted conduct problems versus trauma (B = −8.79, 95% CI[−14.09, −3.49], p = .001). There was a trend that SDM was higher in English-language sessions compared to Spanish. We found that the global measurement of SDM (B = .04, 95% CI[.01, .08], p = .03) and the OPTION item Integrate Preferences (B = .69, 95% CI[.07, 1.32], p = .03) were positively associated with alliance.SDM may help foster Latinx caregiver engagement within EBP delivery. Provider training in SDM may be warranted with consideration of the specific clinical contexts (e.g., by presenting problem) that are appropriate for collaborative treatment planning. More research is needed to further establish the benefits of SDM in youth psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Latinx population has the second highest COVID-19 death rate among racial/ethnic groups in the United States and less than half of Latinx youth aged 5–17 years old completed their COVID-19 primary vaccination series as of September 2022. COVID-19 vaccine misinformation detrimentally impacts vaccination rates. In this study, we examined factors that predicted Latinx youth COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and vaccination status. Methods: A community-based sample of 290 Latinx parent and adolescent dyads from a Southwestern metropolitan area of the United States who were recruited to complete an online survey at baseline at T1 (August 2020 –March 2021) and one year later. We tested a longitudinal mediation model in which we examined individual and family factors that would predict youth COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and vaccination status over time. Results: Youth's pandemic disbelief (i.e., the belief that the COVID-19 pandemic is a conspiracy or not real) predicted greater youth's COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, and in turn, a lower likelihood of youth's COVID-19 vaccination. Youth's pandemic disbelief also predicted greater parent's vaccination hesitancy which, in turn, predicted greater youth's vaccination hesitancy and a lower likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination. Parents' pandemic disbelief predicted their own COVID-19 hesitancy, but not youth hesitancy. Discussion: Our study findings provide initial evidence that general pandemic disbelief was a significant driver of vaccine hesitancy and vaccination among Latinx families. The study contributes to the limited research investigating COVID-19 vaccination in the Latinx community and among Latinx youth, further aiding how COVID-19 vaccine disparities can be mitigated among racial/ethnic populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed communication factors influencing shared decision-making (SDM) between language-congruent clinicians and Latina mothers of pediatric mental health patients. The sample comprised Latinx youth up to 22 years old who were enrolled in mental healthcare and attended mental health-related sessions with their parent. One hundred transcripts depicting mental health visits were coded using the Conversation Analysis framework. Coding included inductive coding that came from analyzing the structure, or orderliness, of the visits and content discussed that affects SDM. Thematic qualitative analysis revealed that facilitators to SDM included collaborative engagement, parents being active in tailoring session content, and integrating the preferences, roles, and next steps for treatment among all participants. Barriers included unskilled interpersonal interactions undermining rapport, off-topic conversations becoming the session’s focus, poor time management, and irregularly integrating parent/patient preferences into the clinician’s decisions regarding the child’s treatment. Additionally, visit content, structure, tone, and interpersonal engagement were factors that variably facilitated or served as barriers to patient participation in SDM and were integral to collaborative, family-centered care. These findings delineated characteristics of pediatric mental health conversations and identified areas to strengthen communication between parents, patients, and clinicians to shift toward more effective SDM and improve patient outcomes among Latinx families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing evidence demonstrating the association between racial and ethnic discrimination and traumatic stress symptoms in adult populations, the research among youth remains sparse. Drawing upon race-based traumatic stress models, and following the PRISMA-2020 guidelines, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify the state of the empirical evidence in the association between racism-related experiences and traumatic stress symptoms in ethnoracially minoritized youth. Scientific databases were searched to identify articles with ethnoracially minoritized youth participants under age 18 years old that examined the association between racial and/or ethnic discrimination and traumatic stress symptoms. A total of 18 articles comprising 16 studies (N = 4,825 participants) met inclusion criteria. Studies were largely cross-sectional, used nonrandom sampling strategies, focused on Black and Latinx youth, and were conducted in the United States. Furthermore, most studies were theoretically grounded and operationalized racism-related experiences as frequency of direct, personal, everyday discrimination. Few studies examined other dimensions of racism-related experiences. The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant positive association with a medium effect size, rpooled =.356, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.27, 0.44, between racism-related experiences and traumatic stress symptoms. No evidence of moderation by age, sex/gender, race/ethnicity, country, or recruitment setting was detected. Racism-related experiences may confer risk for traumatic stress symptoms in ethnoracially minoritized youth. Attending to racism-related experiences is critical to improve the cultural responsiveness of trauma-informed services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an increase in youth psychiatric emergencies and psychiatric inpatient hospitalizations in recent years. Mobile crisis response (MCR) services offer an opportunity to meet acute youth mental health needs in the community and to provide linkage to care. However, an understanding of MCR encounters as a care pathway is needed, including how patterns of subsequent care may vary by youth race/ethnicity. The current study examines racial/ethnic differences in the rates of inpatient care use following MCR among youth. Data included Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) administrative claims for MCR in 2017 and psychiatric inpatient hospitalizations and outpatient services from 2017-2020 for youth aged 0 to 18 years. In this sample of 6,908 youth (70.4% racial/ethnic minoritized youth) who received an MCR, 3.2% received inpatient care within 30 days of their MCR, 18.6% received inpatient care beyond 30 days of their MCR, and 14.7% received repeated inpatient care episodes during the study period. Multivariate models revealed that Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth were less likely to receive inpatient care, whereas American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth were more likely to receive inpatient care following MCR. Youth age, primary language, primary diagnosis, and insurance status also predicted future inpatient episodes. Findings highlight differential rates of inpatient use following MCR among AAPI and AI/AN youth relative to youth from other groups. Alternative interpretations for the findings are offered related to differential levels of need and disparate penetration of community-based outpatient and prevention-focused services. The study investigates racial and ethnic differences in the rates of inpatient care receipt after youth experience a psychiatric emergency in Los Angeles County. A total of 6,908 youth received mobile crisis response services and participated in the study. No racial/ethnic differences emerged in inpatient care use within the first month of receiving mobile crisis response services, but in the longer-term, Asian American/Pacific Islander youth were the least likely to receive inpatient care, and American Indian/Alaska Native youth were the most likely to receive inpatient. No differences in inpatient care use were observed for Black and Latinx youth relative to other youth in the study. Given the high costs for inpatient care, it remains critical to connect high-risk minoritized youth to less costly community-based care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the many social determinants linked to adolescent alcohol use and depression, racial and ethnic discrimination is a prevalent determinant among Latinx adolescents and adults that is largely overlooked in preventive interventions. This study explored the influence of perceived racial and ethnic discrimination on depressive symptoms and alcohol use intentions among Latinx adolescents. Additionally, the study explored the cross-generational effects of how mothers' perceived discrimination impacts the depressive symptoms and alcohol use of the adolescent. The study used a sample of 800 inner-city Dominican and Puerto Rican adolescent–mother dyads (adolescent mean age = 12.42 years, SD = 0.81; mother mean age = 40.55 years, SD = 8.70). Employing a five-wave panel design that followed adolescents from 8th grade to 10th grade, the study found statistically significant mediation pathways which showed that adolescents' self-reported racial and ethnic discrimination experiences were associated with increases in their immediate and long-term depressive symptoms, which in turn were associated with stronger intentions to use alcohol in the future. Further, perceived racial and ethnic discrimination experienced by Latinx mothers was associated with increases in adolescents' intentions to drink alcohol in the future, mediated by the mothers' depressive symptoms and subsequently the adolescents' depressive symptoms. As discussed, these findings have wide-ranging implications for alcohol use prevention programs targeting inner-city Latinx adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Hispanic young adults in the United States have consistently high rates of risky drinking, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), depression, and anxiety. There is a positive association between ACEs and alcohol use among Hispanic populations; it is unknown if mental health symptomatology mediates this relationship. The purpose of this study was to test whether depression and anxiety mediated the relationship between ACEs and risky drinking among Hispanic young adults who engage in risky drinking. Methods: Data from 264 Hispanic young adults, ages 19 to 30, were collected via an online questionnaire. Participants were recruited via social media, emails/listservs across colleges, the community, and web‐panels. The questionnaire assessed ACEs, risky drinking, depression, and anxiety. We conducted a mediational analysis to test whether depression and anxiety mediated the relationship between ACEs and risky drinking. Results: Of the sample, 59.8% identified as female and 40.2% as male. The average age was 24.37 (SD = 3.069). Participants (61%) identified as Mexican, Mexican American, or Chicano, and 84.1% identified as second‐generation. ACEs were positively associated with risky drinking, depression, and anxiety. Depression mediated the relationship between ACEs and risky drinking. Conclusion and Scientific Significance: Depression explained the association between ACEs and risky drinking among Hispanic young adults, adding to our understanding of how mediators can illustrate pathways that lead from ACEs to risky drinking. Practitioners and interventionists should continue supporting Hispanic youth by integrating them into early prevention programs to mitigate the mental health consequences of ACEs that could lead to risky drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction We quantified the linear trend in combustible tobacco smoking among adolescents in the United States from 2014 to 2020, and then compared these trends across racial and ethnic categories. We also tested the effect of e-cigarette use on these trends for all-youth and across racial and ethnic categories. Aims and Methods We pooled and analyzed seven years of National Youth Tobacco Survey data for n  = 124 151 middle and high school students from 2014 to 2020. Weighted logistic regression analyses calculated the annual change in combustible tobacco smoking (ie cigarettes, cigars, and hookah) from 2014 to 2020. Stratified analyses examined linear trends for non-Hispanic White (NHW), NH-Black (NHB), Hispanic/Latino, and NH-Other (NHO) youth. All-models controlled for sex, grade level, and past 30-day e-cigarette use. Results Combustible tobacco smoking from 2014 to 2020 dropped by more than 50% for NHW youth, more than 40% for Latino and NHO youth, compared to just 16% among NHB youth. From 2014 to 2020, the odds of combustible tobacco smoking declined by 21.5% per year for NHWs, which was significantly greater than Hispanic/Latinos (17% per year; p  = .025), NHOs (15.4% per year; p  = .01), and NHBs (5.1% per year; p  < .001), adjusting for sex, grade, and e-cigarette use. Trends and disparities in trends by race and ethnicity were observed independent of e-cigarette use. Conclusions Combustible tobacco smoking declined for all-youth but at significantly different rates across races and ethnicities. Notably, declines in combustible tobacco smoking are lagging among NHB youth. Interventions are critically needed to address this disparity. Implications A direct, evidence-based intervention to reduce combustible tobacco smoking among NHB youth is critically needed. Such tobacco control initiatives should follow the Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Framework, incorporating sustainable funding for school-based intervention, public health education, and adult cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Body mass index (BMI) is inversely proportional with adiponectin levels among adults, while insulin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), resistin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) have been linked with elevated BMI. The role and relation of these biomarkers with BMI among a Hispanic pediatric population are less known. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the association of inflammatory markers with the odds of overweight/obesity while controlling for several sociodemographic factors among a Hispanic youth population in Northeast Tennessee. Methods: Height, weight, demographic information, and blood samples were collected from 107 Hispanic children aged 2 to 10 years recruited at a large community health center in 2015–2016 in Northeast Tennessee. Data for this research were accessed and analyzed in 2022. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess the relations between adiponectin, insulin, resistin, CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6, and overweight/obesity vs. having a healthy (normal) weight. Results: Adiponectin levels were significantly lower among overweight/obese Hispanic children (p = 0.0144) compared to healthy weight children. The odds of overweight/obesity decreased by 4% for every one-unit increase in serum adiponectin. Insulin levels were significantly higher among overweight/obese Hispanic children compared to healthy weight children (p = 0.0048). The odds of overweight/obesity increased by 7% for every one-unit increase in serum insulin. Resistin, IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP were not significantly associated with overweight/obesity in this population. Conclusion: Adiponectin behaves similarly in Hispanic youth as it does in other pediatric populations, possibly making it a valuable marker when examining metabolic health status in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the scope of diagnosed eating disorders among Medicaid-insured youth in California, and to describe the demographic characteristics of this population in a repeated annual cross-sectional study design. California Medicaid claims data were extracted for youth aged 7 to 18 years between January 2014 and December 2016. Participants included all youth who received an eating disorder diagnosis at any point in the study period (N = 8,075). Additional analyses compared youth with eating disorders who were continuously enrolled across all 3 years (n = 4,500) to random subsamples of continuously enrolled youth diagnosed with a mood or anxiety disorder (n = 4,128), a disruptive behavior disorder (n = 4,599), or a psychotic disorder (n = 4,290). About one-half of youth with eating disorders were Latinx (58.5%, n = 2,634) and indicated Spanish as their preferred language (48.9%, n = 2,199). About one-half (51%, n = 2,301) of eating disorder diagnoses were unspecified. Latinx ethnicity and Spanish language were significantly more frequent among youth with eating disorders than among those with other disorders (F 11.97 , F 362.75 , p values <.0005). The first examination of publicly insured youth with eating disorders revealed a highly diverse group of individuals among whom Latinx youth were particularly prevalent. However, past-year national prevalence estimates suggest that most eating disorder cases were undiagnosed. Eating disorders affect approximately 10% of the US population and lead to serious mental health and medical problems. This study used California Medicaid claims data from 2014 to 2016 to characterize the population of youth aged 7 to 18 years with diagnosed with an eating disorder (N = 8,075). The authors found the prevalence of eating disorders among youth aged 13 to 18 years was about 0.20% across all 3 years of the study, which is far below the expected prevalence and suggests that most eating disorders in youth go undiagnosed. About half of eating disorder diagnoses provided to youth with Medicaid insurance are unspecified, which may hinder receipt of appropriate treatment. Of youth with an eating disorder, about half were Latinx and reported Spanish as their preferred language. The authors also found differences in the prevalences of eating disorder diagnoses when analyzing youth by age, sex, and ethnicity. These results suggest that more standardized screening and assessment is needed to improve eating disorders detection and diagnosis, particularly for minoritized youth. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School‐based law enforcement (SBLE) have become increasingly common in U.S. schools over recent decades despite the controversy surrounding their presence and lack of consensus around their associated benefits and harms. Drawing on the history and evidence base regarding SBLE, we advocate for an end to SBLE programs. Grounding our argument in principles of Community Psychology and positive youth development, we outline how the presence and actions of SBLE negatively affect individual students as well as school systems, with particularly harmful outcomes for students with minoritized and marginalized identities. Research on SBLE and school crime does not provide consistent evidence of positive impacts, and many studies find null effects for the relationship between SBLE and school crime or increases in crime and violence in schools. Though funding for SBLE is often prompted by high‐profile acts of gun violence in schools, evidence suggests that SBLE neither prevents these incidents, nor lessens the severity when they do occur. Thus, we advocate for removing law enforcement from school settings and redirecting resources into inclusive, evidence‐informed responses that are generally safer and more effective than SBLE. We close by outlining the policy landscape governing SBLE programs and ways communities can lobby for change. Highlights: Youth attending schools with school‐based law enforcement (SBLE) experience more negative outcomes.Black and Latinx youth experience greater negative effects of SBLE.SBLE presence negatively affects school climate.There is little evidence that SBLE prevents or limits school shootings.Recommendations are provided for school practices, policy changes, and grassroots organizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's literature is an important pedagogical tool in early childhood classrooms as it provides opportunities for young readers to engage with texts and to see the world from multiple perspectives. Central to cultivating equitable early childhood learning experiences is utilizing children's literature with multiple representations of historically underrepresented individuals and communities. In this article, we report on our analysis of episodes of care (Noddings, Journal of Educational Change 2:35–43, 2001) across select Pura Belpré awarded texts for early childhood grades. Additionally, we share findings from across our critical multicultural analysis of these select texts to highlight depictions of age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions. Discussion focuses on exploring an ethic of care across the voices and representations of Latinx youth and families in these awarded texts and how such conversations are vital with young children in today's early childhood classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the prevalence of past 30-day cannabis use among U.S. youth by cigarette use, alcohol use, demographics, and state-of-residence cannabis legal status in 2021 and examined whether changes in cannabis use prevalence were modified by these factors from 2013 to 2021. Data were drawn from the 24 states that collected cannabis use data participating in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System from 2013 to 2021. Logistic regression analyses estimated past 30-day cannabis prevalence in 2021 and produced AORs by current cigarette, alcohol, and state-of-residence cannabis legal status. The same method was used with year as the exposure, adjusting for sex, race, and ethnicity, to assess trends in prevalence from 2013 to 2021. In 2021, cannabis use was more common among female youth (16.75% vs 13.83% [AOR=1.26, 95% CI=1.16, 1.37]) and non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic youth than among non-Hispanic White youth (17.19%, 16.14% vs 14.60% [AOR=1.25, 95% CI=1.12, 1.39 and AOR=1.16, 95% CI=1.04, 1.29, respectively]). Cannabis use was much more common among youth who reported any past 30-day cigarette or alcohol use (44.90% vs 6.48% [AOR=11.80, 95% CI=10.57, 13.18]). Declines in cannabis use were observed independent of state-level cannabis law from 2013 to 2021, and cannabis use prevalence did not differ significantly by state-of-residence cannabis legal status among the 24 participating states in 2021. Public health officials should carefully consider the potential impact of expanding commercialization of cannabis as a wellness product on youth cannabis use, especially with regard to minoritized populations and co-use with tobacco and alcohol. National and state-level public health education on cannabis use and youth-oriented prevention of cannabis uptake are long overdue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this qualitative case study, we examine how one alternative school in the Northeastern United States has used liberatory pedagogies to re-engage students in learning. This school provides one example of a small learning environment that seeks to center Black and Latinx students in pedagogy, curriculum, and student-teacher relationships. We begin by delving into broader conceptualizations of culturally sustaining teaching and liberatory praxis. Through interviews with alumni, current teachers, and administrators, as well as focus groups with all current students and a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project, we identify key components of the program that have allowed for transformative educational experiences. Three key themes were found through this research, which are envisioned as components of a model of liberatory pedagogy: (1) teacher values and practices; (2) deep relationships with students; and (3) critical consciousness while promoting racial/ethnic pride. The findings provide a framework for schools, both traditional and alternative, seeking to teach through a culturally sustaining lens. We conclude with recommendations about how these findings can be more broadly applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examined racial-ethnic differences in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and treatment during adolescence and early adulthood. Methods: A national health care claims database was used to identify a cohort of 4,216,757 commercially insured youths with at least 1 year of coverage during 2014–2019. Racial-ethnic differences in the prevalence of visits with a recorded ADHD diagnosis (identified through ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes) and of ADHD treatment (identified through medical claims for psychosocial treatments and pharmacy claims for ADHD medications) were examined. Period prevalence rates were determined within five age categories, stratified by race-ethnicity. Poisson regression with a natural log link was used within each age category to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) comparing prevalence in each racially and ethnically minoritized group with prevalence in the White group. Results: The overall prevalence of ADHD diagnosis was 9.1% at ages 12–14 and 5.3% at ages 24–25. In each age category, Asian, Black, and Hispanic youths had lower prevalence of ADHD diagnosis than did White youths (PR=0.29–0.77). Among youths with an ADHD diagnosis, relative racial-ethnic differences in treatment were small (PR=0.92–1.03). Conclusions: Throughout adolescence and early adulthood, racially and ethnically minoritized youths were less likely than White youths to have health care visits with recorded ADHD diagnoses and, among those with diagnoses, were also slightly less likely to receive treatment. More research is needed to understand the processes underlying these differences and their potential health consequences among racially and ethnically minoritized youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To systematically review the prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among Black children and adolescents compared to White, Latino and Asian children and adolescents. Peer-reviewed articles were identified in seven databases and included if they reported prevalence of ADHD among Black children and adolescents living in a minority context and compared rates to at least one of White, Latino or Asian samples. A total of 7050 articles were retrieved and 155 articles were subjected to full evaluation. Twenty-three studies representing 26 independent samples were included. The pooled sample size was n = 218,445 (k = 26), n = 835,505 (k = 25), n = 493,417 (k = 24), and n = 66,413 (k = 7) of Black, White, Latino, and Asian participants, respectively. Pooled prevalence rate of ADHD was 15.9% (95%CI 11.6% – 20.7%) among Black children and adolescents, 16.6% (95%CI 11.6% – 22.2%) among Whites, 10.1% (95%CI 6.9% – 13.8%) among Latinos and 12.4% (95%CI 1.4% – 31.8%) among Asians. There was no significant difference in prevalence between ethnic groups, whereas both Black and White children and adolescents had marginally statistically significant higher prevalence than Asians. The results of a meta-regression analysis showed no moderating effects of the type of sample and the year of publication of studies. A significant publication bias was observed, suggesting that other moderators were not identified in the present systematic review. In contrast to the assertion in the DSM-5 that clinical identification among Black children and adolescents is lower than among White children and adolescents, the present meta-analysis suggests similar rates of ADHD among these two groups. The importance of considering cultural appropriateness of assessment tools and processes is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cases and severity of presentation of youth-onset type 2 diabetes (Y-T2D) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the potential drivers of this rise remain unknown. During this time public health mandates paused in-person education and limited social interactions, resulting in radical lifestyle changes. We hypothesized that the incidence and severity of presentation of Y-T2D increased during virtual learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective chart review to identify all newly diagnosed cases of Y-T2D (n = 387) at a pediatric tertiary care center in Washington, DC during three predetermined learning periods as defined by learning modality in Washington, DC Public Schools: pre-pandemic in-person learning (March 11, 2018–March 13, 2020), pandemic virtual learning (March 14, 2020–August 29, 2021), and pandemic in-person learning (August 30, 2021–March 10, 2022) periods. Results: Incident cases were stable during pre-pandemic in-person learning (3.9 cases/month, 95% CI: 2.8–5.4 cases/month), increased to a peak during virtual learning (18.7 cases/month, 95% CI: 15.9–22.1 cases/month), and declined with return to in-person learning (4.3 cases/month, 95% CI: 2.8–6.8 cases/month). Y-T2D incidence was 16.9 (95% CI: 9.8–29.1, p < 0.001) and 5.1-fold higher (95% CI: 2.9–9.1, p < 0.001) among non-Hispanic Black and Latinx youth, respectively, throughout the study period. Overall COVID-19 infection rates at diagnosis were low (2.5%) and were not associated with diabetes incidence (p = 0.26). Conclusions: This study provides timely insights into an important and modifiable correlate of Y-T2D incidence, its disproportionate impact on underserved communities, and the need to consider the effects on long-term health outcomes and preexisting healthcare inequities when designing public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents' familism values predict a variety of Latinx American youth's academic adjustment. However, it is unclear how cultural values such as familism interact with youth's brain development, which is sensitive to sociocultural input, to shape their academic adjustment. Using a sample of 1916 Latinx American youth (mean age = 9.90 years, SD =.63 years; 50% girls) and their primary caregivers (mean age = 38.43 years, SD = 6.81 years; 90% mothers) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, this study examined the longitudinal relation between parents' familism values and youth's school disengagement, as well as the moderating role of youth's neural sensitivity to personal reward. Parents' familism values predicted youth's decreased school disengagement 1 year later, adjusting for their baseline school disengagement and demographic covariates. Notably, this association was more salient among youth who showed lower (vs. higher) neural activation in the ventral striatum and the lateral OFC during the anticipation of a personal reward. These findings underscore the protective role of familism for Latinx American youth, highlighting the necessity of developing culturally informed interventions that take into consideration a youth's brain development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is among the leading causes of death in U.S. youth. Rural residency is a risk factor, but suicide variability by race/ethnicity is more nuanced. Early detection of suicidal ideation and intent are key components of prevention, but to the authors' knowledge, few prior studies have examined how rurality and race interact on youth suicidality. This study examined suicidality between White non-Hispanic versus non-White or Hispanic youth, as well as those who lived in rural versus non-rural areas. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using data from youth age 5–17 years who had complete capture of their medical care in a Wisconsin healthcare system. Suicidality was extracted from medical records by screening for diagnoses indicative of suicidal attempt or ideation between 2017 and 2022. Race/ethnicity and rural residence were extracted from administrative records. Analyses were done in 2023. The sample included 27,392 rural and 20,370 non-rural youth, with suicidality observed in 2% of participants. There was a significant interaction between rural residence and race/ethnicity (p =0.015). Non-White or Hispanic youth in rural areas had the highest risk of suicidality at 75 (CI: 57, 97) per 10,000. Non-White or Hispanic youth in non-rural areas had the lowest risk of suicidality at 38 (CI: 28, 52) per 10,000. Racial/ethnic minority youth who lived in rural areas were more likely to experience suicidality as compared to their non-rural counterparts. Larger prospective studies are needed to identify causal elements of the rural environment that may hasten racial disparities in youth suicidality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the relationship between sanctuary policies and school bullying, specifically focusing on Hispanic youth in the United States. The authors highlight the rise in bullying incidents targeting Hispanic students and the negative consequences on their academic performance and mental well-being. By analyzing administrative and self-reported student data, the study reveals that sanctuary policies have resulted in an increase in racially motivated bullying against Hispanic students. This impact is unique to Hispanic youth and not observed among other racial or ethnic groups. The findings emphasize the need to protect vulnerable youth and promote a more inclusive society. [Extracted from the article]

Whether Latinx families use youth mental health services (MHS) depends on complex influences of barriers and facilitators within and outside of the home. This research sought to shed light on caregiver strain as part of the equation focused on parental identification and responses to youth mental health needs. We examined multiple dimensions of caregiver strain as potential mediators between youth mental health symptom severity and psychological counseling utilization. The present sample consisted of 598 Latinx caregivers to youths ages 6–18 who provided information on youth internalizing and externalizing problems, caregiver strain, and youth psychological counseling service utilization within the last year. Our findings suggest that youth symptom severity (internalizing and externalizing problems) was generally positively associated with dimensions of caregiver strain. Youth symptom severity through objective and subjective internalized strain pathways were associated with greater odds of youth MHS utilization. In contrast, youth symptom severity through subjective externalized strain reduced the odds that Latinx caregivers would report utilizing youth MHS. These models only partially mediated the relationship between youth problems and service use. Findings suggest that Latinx caregivers may navigate conflicting sources of strain related to their child's mental health problem severity in ways that may differentially impact the odds that they access youth MHS. Along with addressing structural and systemic barriers to care, utilization of psychological counseling services may also be improved through interventions that help Latinx caregivers view youth services as avenues for addressing caregiver strain and providing psychoeducation that frames externalized strain within a mental health lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a multidimensional, integrative approach this study examined the influence of social position factors (nativity, economic hardship, and language) and environmental contexts (community trauma, geographic location, and discrimination) on three domains of school engagement (cognitive, behavioral, and relational) among a community sample of first‐ and second‐generation Latino adolescents. Findings from this study reveal that both social position and environmental contexts significantly and differentially predicted each of the three domains of school engagement. Participants (n = 306) included students from 11 high schools in two US cities. Fifty‐three percent were first‐generation immigrants and 80% were born, or had a parent from, Mexico or Central America. Results indicated that all three social position factors (nativity, economic hardship, and language) and two of the three environmental contexts (community trauma exposure and discrimination) significantly and differentially predicted each of the three domains of school engagement. Findings emphasize the direct effects of student's social positionality and environmental contexts on their engagement in school. Practitioner Points: Environmental factors, such as community trauma exposure and discrimination predicted lower behavioral and relational engagement in school.Greater economic hardship also predicted lower behavioral and relational engagement in school.Being a first‐generation immigrant and having limited English proficiency predicted greater cognitive engagement but lower relational engagement in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To what extent are Hispanic and Latinx students with gifts and talents proportionally identified? To what extent are they missing from identification (ID) due to lack of access or underidentification? This study used the Office of Civil Rights data for the years 2000, 2011–2012, 2013–2014, and 2015–2016 to investigate national and state underrepresentation of Latinx youth with gifts and talents. Schools were examined separately by Title I and non-Title I status and by locale (city, suburb, town, rural) to determine whether poverty concentration and/or school locale matter in the ID of Latinx youth. Lack of access to ID was not a major contributing factor to the underrepresentation of these students. Rather, it was the chronic underidentification of Latinx students, regardless of school Title I status or school locale. In 2015–2016 there were 588,891 Latinx students identified with gifts and talents, with between 658,544 (52.79%) and 1,164,363 (66.41%) gifted Latinx youth missing from ID. Across the United States, students with gifts and talents who are Latinx are experiencing discriminatory gifted education policies and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have suggested the impact of intervention fidelity on the management and prevention of chronic diseases; however, little is known about the effect of the contributing determinants (at multiple levels of influence) that can impact health-related interventions intending to improve the health status of Hispanic adolescents with overweight or obesity. The current study aimed to assess whether fidelity (i.e., dosage and quality of the program delivery), acculturation (i.e., orientation to the American culture, retention of Hispanic cultural values), and individual-level socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., income, education) predict changes in family processes (e.g., parent control), which in turn may affect adolescent health-related outcomes including body mass index (BMI), physical activity, dietary intake, and adolescents' health-related quality of life. A pathway analysis model was utilized to explore the study variables among 140 Hispanic parent-adolescent dyads randomized to Familias Unidas Health and Wellness (FUHW) intervention. Results indicated that fidelity was significantly associated with changes in parent-adolescent communication, parent monitoring, limit-setting, and control. Parents' education was associated with changes in parent limit-setting, and parent Hispanicism was associated with changes in parent limit-setting and discipline. The examination between family processes and adolescent health outcomes revealed that parents' higher discipline and improved communication with their adolescents were significantly associated with improved adolescents' quality of life, and parent control was positively associated with physical activity and negatively associated with BMI in adolescents. Our findings demonstrated the significant contribution of intervention fidelity and participants' characteristics in parenting strategies leading to adolescents' health outcomes to prevent obesity-related chronic diseases. Future research is needed to investigate the effect of environmental and organizational factors on the delivery of the intervention materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was designed to examine associations among parents' familism values, adolescents' cultural resources, and externalizing behavior among Latinx youth in the Midwestern United States. Method: Participants were 267 Latinx adolescents (M age = 15.58 years; SD = 1.28 years; 45% girls; 82.8% Mexican American) and their mothers/mother figures who completed individually administered interviews comprised of standardized measures. Structural equation modeling was used to test several alternative mediational models in which youth ethnic identity and familism values served as potential cultural mechanisms linking parents' familism values to lower levels of youth externalizing behavior. Results: Results showed that mothers' familism values were positively associated with youth ethnic identity which was positively associated with youth familism values; in turn, youth familism values were inversely associated with externalizing behavior. The findings did not differ by youth gender or nativity (U.S.-born vs. foreign-born youth). Conclusions: These findings provide support for cultural resilience perspectives by highlighting the protective role of ethnic identity and familism values among U.S. Latinx adolescents. Public Significance Statement: U.S. Latinx youth are at increased risk of developing externalizing behaviors such as aggression and substance use. Our study showed that mothers' familism values, youth ethnic identity, and youth familism values were linked, either directly or indirectly, to less externalizing behavior among U.S. Latinx youth, suggesting that these cultural resources are protective. Interventions that enhance these resources may help prevent or reduce externalizing behavior among U.S. Latinx adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bicultural stress, adolescents' appraisal of intergenerational conflict and discrimination from peers, can strain youths' capacity for functional coping and positive adaptation. Conversely, internal assets (IAs; i.e., positive identity and social competencies) promote thriving and resilience. We assessed associations between bicultural stress and past 30-day bullying victimization and perpetration and the protective effects of IAs among Hispanic and Somali youth. Results of multilevel mixed effects models indicate that bicultural stress was associated with higher frequency of past 30-day bullying victimization (β = 2.14, SE = 0.26) and perpetration (β =.79, SE = 0.17) however, youth with high IAs had the lowest frequency of bullying behaviors even at elevated levels of bicultural stress (p 's <.001; adjusting for family functioning, parent/caregiver reported SES, marital status, and number of children). Results underscore the promise of fostering immigrant origin youths' positive identity and social competencies to facilitate healthy developmental and well-being over the life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Growing up Latinx: Coming of Age in a Time of Contested Citizenship" by J.S. Fernández explores the experiences of Latinx youth in California and their responses to social and political pressures. The book focuses on the youth activist group Change 4 Good and their discussions about citizenship, resistance, and the limitations they face. It highlights the conflicts they encounter between school lessons on civic action and the need for more active engagement in their community. The book also delves into the struggles these youth face as they navigate mixed-status families and conflicting messages about citizenship. Overall, "Growing up Latinx" offers insights into the complex nature of citizenship and the importance of providing a space for youth to question and understand the world around them. [Extracted from the article]

In the United States, where Black and Hispanic youth are disproportionately targeted by marketers, persuasion knowledge (PK) has not been thoroughly studied among underrepresented groups. The extent to which Black immigrant/refugee adolescents understand persuasion tactics and develop coping skills is explored in this mixed-methods study. Adolescents were aware of persuasion tactics on social media, relying on visual cues to identify sponsored posts. Media use was positively related to PK, and African American media use was associated with skepticism. Although there remains a need to further develop PK, adolescents demonstrated generally skillful coping strategies for influencers' persuasion tactics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective family‐based interventions are needed for youth who are experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties and who are impacted by powerful environmental stressors. Culturally Informed and Flexible Family‐Based Treatment for Adolescents (CIFFTA) is a manualized and evidence‐based, multicomponent family‐based treatment that has been shown to be efficacious in research settings. The purpose of this paper is to report on the effectiveness of implementing CIFFTA for the treatment of Latino and Black youth and families in community settings. Utilization of services offered and changes in youth presenting problems and family functioning were used to evaluate the program. Two hundred thirty‐two youth (11–18 years of age) and their caregivers were recruited over 2 years and CIFFTA was delivered by experienced masters‐level family therapists over a 12–16‐week period. Seventy‐six percent met the 8‐session criteria for retention in treatment and 71% completed treatment. Results showed significant improvements in youth behavioral and emotional presenting problems, reduction in family conflict and improvement in family cohesion and communication. Caregiver well‐being such as reductions in parental stress, relational frustration, and improvement in parental confidence also showed significant improvement. Analyses of reliable change indices showed a substantial improvement in youth who entered the program in the clinical range of presenting problems. The findings point to CIFFTA's ability to retain youth and families who tend to underutilize needed services, to significant reductions in presenting problems, and to improvements in family functioning when implemented in a community setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]