title: Honoring Roots in Multiple Worlds: Professionals' Perspectives on Healthy Development of Latino Youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain contextualized insights from professionals regarding factors that contribute to or inhibit the healthy development of Latino youth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community-engaged study in which semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 professionals who work extensively with Latino youth in urban clinics, schools, and other community-based settings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Every key informant expressed opinions regarding factors that contribute to healthy development of Latino youth, ranging from cultural identity and a sense of belonging to family connectedness and adult role models. Contributing and inhibiting factors were characterized by being either intrinsic to the individual (e.g., sense of belonging, hope) or extrinsic (e.g., family support and love, community support).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognition of and appreciation for the importance of cultural influences in the lives of Latino youth is a critical starting point on which professionals must build to respectfully and successfully encourage healthy youth development. Factors that contribute to the healthy development of Latino youth range from cultural identity and cultural pride to family connectedness, adult role models, and a sense of belonging. In working with Latino young people, professionals must recognize and appreciate cultural influences as foundational to this population's health and well-being.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA porta@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Michele L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Extension Center for Family Development, St. Paul, MN, USA.
authors.forename: G Ali
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Hurtado
authors.affiliation: Centro Tyrone Guzman, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Padilla
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arboleda
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota and Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Maria Veronica
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Svetaz
authors.affiliation: Hennepin County Department of Health & Human Services, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Rosita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balch
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Renee E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Sieving
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D012649:Self Concept; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Latino; adolescent; culture; healthy development; qualitative