The mental health status of Latino children in the public child welfare system: A look at the role of generation and origin

Cecilia Ayón, Judy Krysik, Karen Gerdes, David Androff, David Becerra, Maria Gurrola, Lorraine Moya-Salas, Elizabeth Segal

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

As the number of Latino children in public child welfare continues to grow, it is necessary to understand how their mental health is faring. The paper examines emotional and behavioural needs among Latino children who had contact with the public child welfare system. The purpose of this longitudinal study was twofold: to examine the severity of emotional and behavioural problems, and to assess the predictive role of generation status and Latino origin. Latent growth models were completed using the National Survey on Children and Adolescent Well-Being. The predictive model for the externalizing CBCL scale revealed that generation status and Latino origin were significant predictors. At baseline, Puerto Rican children exhibited higher rates of externalizing problems compared with Mexican children. Over time children who were first/second generation tended to have lower scores compared with the third-plus generation children. Implications for practise are discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)369-379
Number of pages11
JournalChild and Family Social Work
Volume16
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2011

Keywords

  • Child welfare
  • Emotional and behavioural problems
  • Latino children
  • Mental health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Sociology and Political Science

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