Cristina Mogro-Wilson

The influence of parental warmth and control on Latino adolescent alcohol use

Latino adolescent alcohol use is related to substance use, later life addiction, and other negative outcomes. The lack of knowledge on parenting and the parent-youth relationship in Latino families in the context of acculturation and its affects on alcohol use prompted this study. Secondary data analysis using the Add Health data set indicates that high amounts of parental control function positively for Latino families, contrary to some findings for non-Latinos. In addition, parental warmth significantly reduced alcohol use and also positively affected the parent-youth relationship which decreased alcohol use. When families spoke English at home, parental control decreased which lead to an increase in alcohol use. A critical examination of the implications for the cultural understanding of parental influences on adolescent alcohol use is discussed. Findings indicate that there are unique family mechanisms for Latino families that should be considered when developing intervention options.

The National Status of In-Service Professional Development Systems for Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Practitioners.

Early intervention and preschool special education coordinators in the 50 states and territories were interviewed about the current status of professional development in-service systems in their state. A definition consisting of 8 components of an in-service professional development system was used to analyze the state systems. Twenty Part C early intervention systems had professional development in-service training models that met the definition, and 23 preschool special education in-service systems met the definition. Results on selected findings are presented and discussed within the context of developing effective in-service professional development systems for the early intervention and preschool special education workforce.

An Empowerment Approach in Teaching a Class about Autism for Social Work Students

Social workers are being asked to respond to the rapidly increasing number of individuals and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). However, the curricula in schools of social work have limited content on disabilities. This article describes a course which prepares social work students for work with individuals with ASD through an empowerment approach in an ever-changing socio-cultural and political environment. This approach changes the focus of disabilities from a narrow perspective on particular services and rehabilitation to a broader concern with human rights, social inclusion and quality of life. The article describes the development of the course in collaboration with a university disability program, the areas of emphasis for the course (family focused, interdisciplinary, lifespan) and the multiple modes of delivery. The implications of teaching the course as an elective or as integrating it further into the curriculum are discussed.

Child Factors Associated With Enrollment in Part C Early Intervention Among Children Adopted From China

The provision of services under Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act is built on a premise that children benefit from early intervention. This article presents findings from a study of children adopted from China. Given information obtained from a survey, the researchers grouped children as (a) those who received early intervention, (b) those who did not receive early intervention and whose parents had concerns about their behavior and development, and (c) those who did not receive early intervention and whose parents had no concerns about their behavior and development. Results showed that parental judgments of their children’s behavior at the time of adoption best explained differences between the parents whose children received early intervention and parents who had no concerns about their children’s behavior and who did not receive early intervention. The behavioral markers that differentiated the groups from one another were as follows: child affect, poor attention, eating and feeding difficulties, problems communicating, poor physical health, and social interaction problems. Findings indicate that parents’ appraisals can be an important source of information for eligibility determination for this population of children.

Utilizing Mutual Aid in Reducing Adolescent Substance Use and Developing Group Engagement.

Objective: This study assessed the effectiveness of mutual aid groups for high school students. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was applied to 242 adolescents, where every other adolescent was assigned to the intervention or the control condition. The study evaluated the influence of implementing mutual aid groups in decreasing perceived risk of substance use, favorable attitudes toward substance use, and reducing substance use while increasing group engagement. Participants were assessed at baseline, during Sessions 2 and 7, and treatment exit. General linear mixed-effects models were used to detect significant differences between treatment and control conditions. Results: Findings indicated mutual aid groups significantly reduced favorable attitudes toward drug use and decreased alcohol and marijuana usage compared to the control group. In addition, the adolescents in treatment significantly increased their group engagement. Conclusions: Results support mutual aid group work models for reducing alcohol use and increasing group engagement for high school youth.

A Pilot Study of a Dual Processing Substance User Treatment Intervention with Adults

This study responds to the identified need for evidence-based substance abuse interventions by examining the effects of an innovative dual processing substance use intervention aimed at decreasing the risk for substance relapse by targeting emotional regulation capacity. The study was completed in partnership with a Latino-serving community-based substance user treatment agency in a rural Northeastern region of the United States in 2005–2006 and was supported with pilot monies from the University at Albany School of Social Welfare NIDA-funded research center. The sample (N = 29) was comprised of adults with a diagnosis of substance dependence seeking treatment in an outpatient program. Study findings indicated that individuals who participated in the dual-processing treatment group decreased their craving with a trend toward increased self-efficacy over time in treatment and did not show treatment response differences across Latino and non-Latino clients, suggesting that treatment application was similar across these groups. The studys limitations are noted.

Discharge Planning for Offenders with Co-Occurring Disorders: The Role of Collaboration, Medication, and Staff

Concern for offenders with co-occurring disorders is increasing, and few studies have examined the degree of discharge planning provided for this population. The study explored how well the selected factors (medication, community support, and resources) predict the degree of discharge planning for offenders with co-occurring disorders. A secondary dataset using a national sample of administrators in criminal justice treatment programs (N = 147) was used for the analysis. Provision of medication upon release was the strongest predictor. Furthermore, the findings suggested collaborations with external groups and having dedicated staff may impact the level of discharge planning.

Parenting in Puerto Rican Families

Puerto Ricans are currently the second largest Latino subgroup in the United States. Social work services are often aligned with non-Latino cultural traditions. The model presented in this article contains the development of a basic understanding of essential elements of Latino culture, and how parenting practices for Puerto Rican families are actualized, through the lens of familismo, respecto, simpatia, and personalismo. The understanding of these fundamental concepts of Puerto Rican families will enhance the effectiveness of social work services.

Continuity of Parental Behavioural Ratings of Children Adopted from China and Parenting Competence, Confidence and Enjoyment*

Mary Beth Bruder, Carl J Dunst, Cristina Mogro-Wilson and Tony Xing Tan used an analytic procedure called structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the effects of adoption and post-adoption child behaviour measures on parents self-judgements of their parenting competence, confidence and enjoyment. SEM is a statistical procedure for investigating complex relationships among multiple variables simultaneously. The study participants were 314 adults (mostly mothers) who had adopted a child from China. Parents recall of their childrens behaviour at the time of adoption was related to two outcomes: concerns about their childrens development and post-adoption behavioural ratings of child functioning. The more positive the parents ratings of their childrens behaviour, the more positive they judged their parenting competence, confidence and enjoyment. Findings supported the main hypothesis that parents judgements of their childrens behaviour at and following adoption are both directly and indirectly related to their sense of parenting.

Developing scientists in Hispanic substance use and health disparities research through the creation of a national mentoring network

Abstract Hispanics are disproportionately affected by substance use and related health harms yet remain underrepresented across scientific disciplines focused on researching and addressing these issues. An interdisciplinary network of scientists committed to fostering the development of social and biomedical researchers focused on Hispanic substance use and health disparities developed innovative mentoring and career development activities. We conducted a formative evaluation study using anonymous membership and conference feedback data to describe specific mentoring and career development activities developed within the national network. Successful mentoring initiatives and career development activities were infused with cultural and community values supportive of professional integration and persistence. Mentoring initially occurred within an annual national conference and was then sustained throughout the year through formal training programs and informal mentoring networks. Although rigorous evaluation is needed to determine the success of these strategies in fostering long-term career development among scientists conducting Hispanic health and substance use research, this innovative model may hold promise for other groups committed to promoting career development and professional integration and persistence for minority (and non-minority) scientists committed to addressing health disparities.