Predictors of treatment engagement in ethnically diverse, urban children receiving treatment for trauma exposure.
Keeping traditionally underrepresented children and their families engaged in treatment until completion is a major challenge for many community-based mental health clinics. The current study used data collected as part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Core Data Set to examine whether racial/ethnic disparities exist in treatment duration and completion in children seeking treatment for trauma exposure. We then explored whether disparities persist after accounting for other variables associated with children's social contexts and the treatment setting. The sample included 562 ethnically diverse children receiving services from a child abuse prevention and treatment agency in Southern California. The results indicated that African American children had significantly shorter trauma-informed treatment duration and higher rates of premature termination than Spanish-speaking Latino children. These disparities persisted even with other variables associated with treatment duration and completion (e.g., child's age, level of functional impairment, and receipt of group and field services) in the model. Implications and future directions for research and practice are discussed.
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Rebecca
R
Fraynt
Leslie
L
Ross
Bruce L
BL
Baker
Ida
I
Rystad
Janet
J
Lee
Ernestine C
EC
Briggs
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology*; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population