Developing and Testing a Video-feedback Intervention to Promote Racial-Ethnic Socialization Competency in Latino/a/x Families

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Racial-ethnic discrimination impacts too many Latino/a/x youth and poses a significant threat to their health and well-being, increasing vulnerability for depression, anxiety, and conduct problems. Racial-ethnic socialization (RES) messages that promote racial-ethnic pride (i.e., cultural socialization) and prepare youth to cope with discrimination (i.e., preparation for bias) may buffer the damaging effects of discrimination. Yet, not all Latino/a/x youth receive these messages, as some parents avoid discussions of race and ethnicity with their children. Additionally, RES conversations can be stressful for Latino/a/x parents, and parents may not have the skills and confidence in their ability to communicate RES content. Using intervention mapping, the current study will further develop and refine the Video-feedback Intervention to Promote Racial-Ethnic Socialization CompEtency (VIP- RACE) to support Latino/a/x parents' motivation to engage in RES and strengthen their RES competency (improved skills and confidence, decreased stress). Leveraging advances in RES theory and intervention approaches in video feedback and motivational interviewing, VIP-RACE currently comprises three sessions: Session 1 is an ecologically-focused assessment of parents' RES practices, assessed with parent- and youth- reported surveys and videotaped observation of parent-adolescent RES conversations. Session 2 involves an interview with the parent to build rapport, explore parents' RES concerns and challenges, and obtain additional information to assist with tailoring the feedback session. During Session 3, parents and RES coaches review clips from videotaped RES interaction tasks. Video feedback highlights parents' RES strengths and encourages parents to examine missed opportunities for engaging in RES. Data from questionnaires and interviews are also used to punctuate strengths and highlight concerns. During Phase 1 (Aim 1), we will iteratively refine VIP-RACE in partnership with advisory boards of youth, parents, and RES coaches, as well as expert researchers and clinicians, who will review Draft 1 of the intervention manual and materials. Feedback will be used to guide the development of Draft 2. We will reconvene the advisory boards and experts to provide feedback on the revised draft and guide further curriculum refinements for Draft 3. The refined intervention will be tested with five parents of 10-14-year-old Latino/a/x youth to identify gaps in the curriculum and obstacles to implementation that can be addressed prior to a larger pilot. In Phase 2 (Aim 2), we will conduct a proof-of-concept single-arm trial with 40 Latino/a/x families to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of VIP-RACE. Intervention effects on parents' RES motivation and competency, youths' racial-ethnic coping and racial-ethnic identity, and youths' mental health and conduct problems will be assessed. As one of the first studies to develop and test a RES intervention for Latino/a/x families, this project is poised to make a substantial impact on addressing discrimination as it relates to the mental health and well-being of Latino/a/x youth. This proposal is responsive to the NIMHD's priority to develop and assess interventions to improve the health of minority populations.