Abstract
Using a multilevel ecological framework, we take a qualitative approach to examining important cultural considerations that support successful implementation of trauma-informed services within the Latinx community. We conducted key informant interviews with community practitioners recruited primarily in the Phoenix, AZ metro area. Themes that emerged from interviews captured societal, community, and individual barriers to effective implementation of a culturally responsive trauma-informed approach. Specifically, multilevel barriers included socioeconomic circumstances, normalization of trauma exposure, and the transgenerational impact of trauma. Practitioners also reported approaching their work using relationship-focused and family-centered frameworks as facilitators to service engagement. We highlight the critical need for a culturally responsive trauma-informed approach that stresses the importance of context, recognizes transgenerational vulnerabilities, and promotes equity and the utilization of cultural humility in order to lessen the multilayered disparities in service accessibility experienced by minoritized communities.
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Acknowledgements
We thank the Arizona ACE Consortium for their leadership in the field and their community providers for sharing their experiences and expertise. We would like to recognize and thank the research assistants at the Positive Environment for Adolescents and Children (PEAC) Lab at Arizona State University, specifically Tristyn Rivas, Sofia Chen and Catherine Marken who helped and were involved in this project. Instrumental to the success of this manuscript, we also would like to acknowledge the T. Denny Sanford School’s Latino Resilience Enterprise (LRE) at Arizona State University for their funding contribution to the first author.
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All authors have taken an active role and made substantial contributions to the study and this manuscript. Material preparation, and data collection were performed by Sarah Lindstrom Johnson, Chanler Hilley and Kit Elam. Conceptualization and analysis were performed by Ana Maria Melendez Guevara, Sarah Lindstrom Johnson, Cami Mcintire and Kamryn Morris. The first draft of the manuscript was written in full by Ana Maria Melendez Guevara, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version.
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Meléndez Guevara, A.M., Lindstrom Johnson, S., Elam, K. et al. Culturally Responsive Trauma-Informed Services: A Multilevel Perspective from Practitioners Serving Latinx Children and Families. Community Ment Health J 57, 325–339 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00651-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00651-2