Engaging Mexican origin families in a school-based preventive intervention

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Family Studies
• Intervention Science

Background:

• Engaging minority families in research is challenging.
• Culturally tailored approaches are crucial for effective intervention.
• Previous trials often report lower participation rates among minority groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and evaluate a culturally sensitive engagement strategy for Mexican origin families.
• To identify predictors of engagement in a school-based preventive intervention.
• To compare participation rates with culturally sensitive versus non-sensitive approaches.

Main Methods:

• A school-based, family-focused preventive intervention trial.
• Assessment of study enrollment and intervention participation.
• Analysis of engagement predictors, including cultural values, language, and acculturation status.

Main Results:

• Culturally sensitive engagement yielded higher participation rates than typical minority-focused trials.
• Family preferred language and acculturation status predicted engagement.
• Less acculturated families, particularly Spanish-speaking ones, participated at higher rates.

Conclusions:

• A culturally sensitive approach is effective for engaging Mexican American families in preventive trials.
• Acculturation status and family characteristics are key factors influencing participation.
• Future research should replicate and further explore culturally tailored prevention models.