Evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in mental health services has been established, and attention to racial/ethnic differences in outcomes is warranted to effect appropriate service utilization and improvement of mental health care for different ethnic groups. The long-term objective of this research proposal is to contribute to the knowledge of outcomes for four major ethnic groups, and this purpose will be achieved in two studies. First, exploratory analyses will be conducted to examine whether there are a) racial/ethnic differences or b) parent acculturation level differences in youth outcomes for different service types. Second, treatment variables that may mediate and/or moderate the relationship between race/ethnicity, acculturation, and outcomes will be investigated.
These aims will be achieved through the analysis of data from a large, longitudinal study that surveyed the mental health needs and service use of a racially/ethnically-diverse sample of at-risk youth {Patterns of Care; PI: R. Hough; n=1715). The results of these studies may help to improve treatment planning and design for different ethnic groups, help researchers and professionals to increase understanding of components that help make services effective for different populations, and aid professionals in reducing barriers to service use for different ethnic groups.
