Family Interventions Among Latinx Families: A Systematic Review

Background: More than 50% of the immigrant population in the United States comes from Latin America, and Latinx children under the age of 18 make up more than 30% of the United States population. Although research has consistently shown that Latinx immigrants are less likely to have mental health issues (e.g. depression and anxiety), second-generation Latinxs have one of the highest rates of depression and suicidal ideation in the United States —second only to American Indians. Latinx children and youth not only have higher rates of mental health disorders than their White counterparts, but also are less likely to receive high-quality mental health care, particularly to address internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In an effort to address the mental health of Latinx children and their caregivers, several culturally-grounded interventions have been developed, implemented, and tested to determine their effectiveness in promoting positive mental health outcomes. The purpose of this systematic review is to determine whether such interventions are effective.

Methods: We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, Cochrane library, Scopus, HAPI, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect databases from inception through January 2020 as part of a registered protocol (PROSPERO) following PRISMA guidelines. Our inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials of family interventions among a predominantly Latinx sample. We assessed the risk of bias in the included studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool.

Findings: Initially, we identified 8,461 articles. After removing duplicates, we obtained 6,777 articles, which titles were reviewed for inclusion. We excluded 5,751 articles because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. A total of 1,026 abstracts were reviewed and 40 studies were included for full review. Thirteen studies met inclusion criteria. Most interventions focused on promoting mental health through improving parent-child relationships. Interventions had small effects promoting mental health among children and adolescents and improving family relationships. Few studies provided an in-depth description of the cultural aspects of the intervention, although they were all delivered among Latinx populations.

Discussion: Our findings show that few family interventions aim to promote mental health among Latinx children and their caregivers and that the benefits of most interventions are not maintained in the long-term. Adding booster sessions after the intervention has ended could help ensure that positive outcomes are maintained. It is critical to identify the cultural aspects that make interventions effective with Latinx populations.