title: The Effectiveness of Cultural Adjustment and Trauma Services (CATS): generating practice-based evidence on a comprehensive, school-based mental health intervention for immigrant youth.
abstract: A collaborative study of Cultural Adjustment and Trauma Services (CATS), a comprehensive, school-based mental health program for traumatized immigrant children and adolescents, was conducted to generate practice-based evidence on the service delivery model across two school districts. Program effectiveness was assessed by testing whether client functioning and PTSD symptoms improved as a result of 7 separate service elements. An array of clinical services including CBT, supportive therapy, and coordinating services were provided to all students, and an evidence-based intervention for trauma, TF-CBT, was implemented with a subset of students. Greater quantities of CBT and supportive therapy increased functioning, while greater quantities of coordinating services decreased symptoms of PTSD. TF-CBT services were associated with both improved functioning and PTSD symptoms, although TF-CBT was implemented with fidelity to the overall comprehensive service model rather than the structured intervention model. Results suggest the comprehensive school-based model was effective, though different service components affected different student outcomes. Implications of these findings for immigrant mental health interventions and implementing structured evidence-based practices into community mental health programs are discussed. Suggestions are made for future research on existing mental health practices with immigrants.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA, sbeehl1@uic.edu
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beehler
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Birman
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D054521:Cultural Competency; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009515:New Jersey; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*