Engaging Latino Families in a Sibling-Focused Family Prevention Program.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Family Studies
• Cultural Psychology

Background:

• Evidence-based prevention programs are crucial for Latino youth and families.
• Participant engagement is a key factor in the success of prevention programs.
• Understanding cultural influences on engagement is vital for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe engagement levels in a novel family-focused prevention program for Latino families.
• To examine how caregiver and family cultural factors predict program engagement.
• To apply a socio-ecological perspective to understand engagement in prevention programs.

Main Methods:

• 158 Latino families were randomly assigned to an intervention group.
• Data were collected pre- and post-program.
• Program engagement was measured by attendance and caregiver satisfaction.

Main Results:

• High attendance rates were observed for both children and caregivers.
• Caregivers reported high satisfaction and perceived benefits from the program.
• Economic hardship, familial ethnic socialization, familism, and Anglo cultural orientations influenced program engagement and expectations.

Conclusions:

• The family-focused prevention program demonstrated high engagement among Latino families.
• Cultural and economic factors play a significant role in program participation.
• Findings inform the development of culturally tailored prevention strategies for Latino families.