This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
Latinos Kids Face a Big Gap in Early Cognitive Development
The socioeconomic gap in academic performance has been demonstrated repeatedly, with children from low-income households exhibiting deficits in school readiness and social development upon entering kindergarten. Several studies have shown that early educational gaps are maintained, and can even grow, for children from high-risk communities.12,15,23–26 Risk factors including poverty, low parental education, limited English proficiency, and single-parent homes, many of which are disproportionately present in Latino communities, put Latino children at a disadvantage for cognitive development relative to their non-Hispanic peers.27–30 In ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
Addressing Latino Subpopulations
This research review has emphasized several policies and programs that could benefit Latino families as a whole. However, it is important to point out that future research will need to: Determine how programs need to be catered to fit the different Latino subpopulations that they serve across the United States;
Carefully assess community needs and the initiation of collaborations with community leaders, stakeholders, and activists for development of contextually appropriate policies that will be successful in the target population; and
Continue reviewing and assessing the inclusion of cultural considerations that will allow final adaptation of programs into a ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
The Growth of Head Start
Given the evidence to support the benefit of organized early childhood education, development of high-quality ECE centers that also promote engagement of Latino parents holds great promise for the future of Latino children. Many programs from the 1960s and on provide evidence for the effectiveness of incorporating parent-targeted elements within early childcare programs, and these family-based approaches form the basis for the two-generation model discussed later in this review. The first explicit family-based program was Head Start, which in 1965 declared the goal of providing low-income preschool children a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
Conclusions More than one-third of Latino families live in poverty and two-thirds are low-income, and face limited access to high-quality education, community resources, and health care.
Latino children excel in cognitive and social development measures when they participate in high-quality center-based early childhood education and public pre-K programs.
Single-site ECE and infant care centers partnered with family resource centers offer the highest-impact outcomes for low-income Latino children and parents.
Parent resources in two-generation programs must focus on services that aid parents in finding high quality jobs with family-supporting wages. Efforts to minimize the toxic stress associated ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
Latino Families Lack Access to Healthcare
Due to high costs, Latinos are less likely to participate in insurance or retirement plans, even if offered by their employers.100 Although the percentage of Latinos with no health care coverage dropped from 26.2% to 15.1% from 2013 to 2016 under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it is still much higher than the percent drop among uninsured non-Latino white from 14.1% to 6.6% in that same span, according to a report.101 Latinos also continued to perform worse on most measures of access to and utilization of their health care than whites, often due to reasons like citizenship status, language, socioeconomic status, and a lack of awareness of the ACA's provisions, ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
Introduction
Latinos are expected to comprise 32% of the U.S. population by 2050.1 As such, the strength and health of this country’s future workforce depends upon the investments made in Latino communities today. Currently, one-third of U.S. Latino families live in poverty and two-thirds are low-income, with limited access to high-quality education, community resources, and health care.2,3 Recent research has shown that social programs targeting adults as well as children result in the most effective long-term improvements in children’s academic success, health, and future economic stability.4 Thus whole-family support services that address the specific social, medical, and economic needs of ...
Abstract
Latino youth are far more likely than their peers to have mental health issues. These often go unaddressed and untreated. Why? Immigration, poverty, bullying, and other family and social factors can stress Latino youth. But there’s good news, too. Programs are emerging to reduce family, school, and community stress. These can positively impact mental health among this population. Promising policies, while few, also are emerging. Read the News Release (PDF)
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Contents
Introduction & Methods. This Salud America! research review assesses available research about mental health and access to care among Latino youth. This review also examines programs and policies to tackle ...
This is part of our Mental Health & Latino Kids: A Research Review »
Current research is lacking
Latino youth suffer disproportionately from mental health issues compared to their peers. But there is a relative lack of research dedicated to interventions aimed at addressing the diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems in this population.
Family and community interventions are needed
Immigration, acculturation, discrimination, and poverty-related stress have all been identified as issues that affect Latino youth, and these often overlap and interact in complicated ways. While physical activity-based interventions have been shown to have a positive effect on mental health among Latino children, family and community-based interventions are also necessary to confront ...
This is part of our Mental Health & Latino Kids: A Research Review »
Conclusions
Latino children and adolescents are disproportionately affected by mental health problems compared to their peers, especially Latinas, who have the highest rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt of any group. The factors affecting the mental health of Latino youth are complex and include the immigration process, acculturation, poverty-related stress, bullying, and discrimination.
Latino children are less likely to receive help for mental health problems, and their parents are less likely to recognize and seek help for their children’s mental health issues.
The barriers to the receipt and use of mental health services among Latino children include cultural differences in the ...
