The datasets analyzed during the current study are not publicly available but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. The original data collection was supported by the National Institutes of Health, primarily by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R21HD to J.E.E. and M.S.F.). We use LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer+) to refer collectively to sexual minority and gender diverse identities because of the proliferation of terms used by young people.
Mental Health Facts for Hispanics and Latinos/as (.pdf)
However, not enough evidence is available to parse out racial/ethnic differences due to true differences in psychopathology compared to misdiagnoses because https://www.safeproject.us/resource/latinx/ of bias or inaccurate diagnoses. In a study examining anxiety reporting, Mexican and Mexican American children reported more physiological symptoms relative to European American children (Varela, Vernberg, Sanchez-Sosa, Riveros, Mitchell et al., 2004). Additionally, studies have found that non-Western individuals and ethnic minorities living in Western societies experience and express distress through somatic symptoms more than European Americans (Kirmayer & Young, 1998; Uba, 1994). However, a child meeting criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis alone did not necessarily compel parents to use services (Alegria, Canino, Lai, Ramirez, Chavez et al., 2004). Furthermore, in minority families, parents are often under more burden and stress, and therefore, less likely to notice distress, anger, frustration, and hopelessness in their children (Brannan, Heflinger, & Bickman, 1997).
Research studies should consider race and ethnicity as crucial factors when designing studies and should make greater efforts to recruit from underrepresented populations (Anderson & Mayes, 2010). Finally, diagnostic procedures in treatment are usually continual and dynamic processes and treatment disparities may also impact the assessment process. In general, training in cultural competency would lead to a greater accuracy of diagnoses and more appropriate treatment for youth. Furthermore, if parents and youth are more engaged, there may be increased likelihood that there will be greater treatment retention and satisfaction with treatment. Since parents play an important role in psychotherapy for youth, a successful outcome of this training would be that clinicians and parents would be able to work collaboratively and agree on diagnoses, thereby fostering more parental engagement and involvement in treatment (Lewis-Fernandez & Diaz, 2002).
Maternal depressive symptoms (alpha = 0.
First, this study examines ethnic variation in children’s internalizing and externalizing problems at different ages. Using MCS data, they found that Pakistani mixed and Bangladeshi mixed children were at a greater risk of mental health problems in adolescence than their non-mixed peers (Zilanawala et al., 2018). Using a person-centered approach, another study assessed internalizing and externalizing trajectories from ages 6 to 18, finding that African American children were more likely to be in the chronic co-occurring, moderate co-occurring, and pure-externalizing subtype than non-Hispanic white children (Shi et al., 2020). The longitudinal relationship between ethnicity and mental health, which is the focus of this study, has received less attention.
Framework for Understanding and Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Children’s Mental Health
- Other facilitators included living in urban setting (27) and having enabling resources such as family/work schedule, availability of childcare, transportation (32).
- After controlling for socioeconomic status, age, gender, and functional impairment, African American youth were more likely than non-Hispanic White youth to be diagnosed with disruptive behavior disorder and conduct related problems (Nguyen, Huang, Arganza, & Liao, 2007).
- Furthermore, people tend to be more comfortable with practitioners from their own cultures or backgrounds; a dearth of minority providers means people seeking services are often unable to find a practitioner with whom they’re comfortable.
- It is evident from the findings that there were some shortfalls in the area of healthcare screening, access and/or utilization for the adolescents in the OT group.
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First and second-generation ethnic minority immigrants in the UK often have fewer academic qualifications than their white native counterparts (Dex & Joshi, 2004). The ‘other/mixed’ category consists of ethnic minority children that could not be placed into one of the otherwise defined groups. The survey oversampled smaller subpopulations such as children of ethnic minority background, children of disadvantaged background, and children living in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.