A Novel Multifamily Treatment Targeting Symptoms Related to Latinx Caregiver Deportation

Objective: Latinx youth who have experienced caregiver deportation show higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and internalizing symptoms compared to Latinx youth who have not. Thus, there is a need for culturally and linguistically appropriate therapeutic approaches to address psychiatric needs related to caregiver deportation. Positive Adaptations for Trauma and Healing (PATH) is a manualized 10-week group therapy for Latinx youth and their caregivers that integrates trauma-informed interventions with positive psychology and resilience interventions. The present study examined PATH for reducing trauma symptomatology for Latinx youth who endured at least three traumatic experiences in their caregiving system as well as differences for Latinx youth who experienced their caregiver's deportation. Method: Self-identified Latinx youth (N = 31) and their Spanish-speaking caregivers were recruited from two urban hospitals. All youth experienced three or more traumatic events. Pre- to postintervention mean change was measured with t tests; mixed-effects analysis of variance assessed whether the program was feasible for youth who had experienced a caregiver deportation versus Latinx youth who did not. Results: Assessment with the Trauma Symptom Checklist and the UCLA PTSD Index for Youth showed statistically significant reductions on Anxiety, Depression, Anger, and PTSD subscales. Latinx youth who experienced a caregiver's deportation exhibited larger reductions in anger symptoms and PTSD symptoms. Conclusion: Study results suggest that the novel group therapy intervention was feasible and acceptable for Latinx youth and their caregivers. Despite a small sample size, the intervention proved feasible for Latinx youth who experienced caregiver deportation. Clinical Impact Statement Being separated from a caregiver has a negative impact on the psychiatric health of youth. Latinx youth are disproportionately impacted by caregiver separation related to the various stages of immigration (i.e., premigration, in transit, and postmigration). Immigration and deportation have been at the forefront of political debates. This study is one of the first to examine the positive impact of a treatment intervention for Latinx youth that endured separation from a caregiver related to deportation. Given the all-too-common experience of deportation and the dearth of interventions available to Latinx youth, more evidenced-based research is needed.