A Mentored Scientist Development Award for New Minority Faculty is requested to enable the applicant to examine the influence of ethnocultural factors in the course of serious mental illness (SMI) and community rehabilitative services. The ultimate goal is to gain the skills to design and implement a theory-driven research program to study the role of ethnocultural constructs in serious mental disorders (SMDs), and offer empirically supported recommendations on the cultural relevancy of community based psychosocial services. The applicant's extensive background in clinical social work practice with ethnic minority groups, the recent completion of an NIMH funded dissertation, and current affiliation with an established services research center, provide an excellent foundation for the development plan proposed in this award. An established group of investigators will provide intensive mentoring and consultation. The proposed goals include the development of advanced skills (1) in quantitative data analysis and psychometric methods, (2) qualitative research methods, and (3) to assess current practice on the cultural responsiveness of programs serving ethnic minority persons with SMI. The data for the proposed research will be obtained from two existing studies and one current ongoing project. The research plan is organized into two studies that examine ethnocultural factors in SMI and community-based services. The first study tests competing hypotheses regarding the potential influence of cultural mechanisms on the illness course and within psychosocial services. The second study applies a qualitative cultural assessment model examining multiple perspectives to assess the cultural fit of services for Latino schizophrenia clients. These studies seek to understand ethnocultural constructs that may be salient in mediating the course of SMI and psychosocial treatment among ethnic minority groups. The knowledge gained will enable the applicant to design an R01 to examine prospectively the complex role of ethnocultural mechanisms associated with the course of schizophrenia and other SMDs and the cultural relevancy of psychosocial treatments.
