Poster #158 - Argentine Professionals’ Conceptualizations of Barriers and Facilitators to Children’s Mental Health Care

• In Event: 2-002 - Special Poster Session 05 with Continental Breakfast Reception
  In Poster Session: PS 05 - International Section

Integrative Statement

In the U.S., Latino children are more likely than non-minority children to have unmet mental health needs (Katoaka, Zhang, & Wells, 2002; Zimmerman, 2005). In order to understand and promote Latino families’ treatment engagement, several studies have examined the contribution of socio-cultural factors, identifying stigma as a key barrier (Fripp & Carlson, 2017; Young & Rabiner, 2015). However, the term “Latino” encapsulates different national origins, which may differ in their attitudes towards mental health services. Indeed, Diguini, Jones, and Camic (2013) found that in Argentina perceived social stigma does not influence service-seeking behavior, and that Argentines hold fewer stigmas about seeking treatment than Americans. Other studies have echoed these findings (Mileva, Vázquez, & Milev, 2013; Wagner, Runte Geidel, Torres-González, & King, 2011), and added that neither financial status nor emigration affects stigma’s reduced impact on Argentines (Stefani, 1984; Viladrich, 2007).

Thus, Argentina appears to be a country with low mental health stigma, the most psychologists per capita in the world, and yet still many of the same core cultural values as other Latin American countries (Alonso, 2005; Halgunseth, Ispa, & Rudy, 2006). In light of this, greater understanding of Argentina’s mental health care culture, particularly in relation to recognition, referral, and treatment, could inform strategies for engaging Latino families from other nationalities in treatment. In particular, specific focus on the culture as it relates to the two most commonly-referred childhood disorders, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), may be especially informative as their prevalence has been found to be consistent across countries (Canino et al., 2010; Michanie et al., 2007; Rushton, Bruckman, & Kelleher, 2002).

Unfortunately, few have examined this. Thus, the purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore Argentine professionals’ conceptualizations of the etiology, identification, and treatment of ODD and ADHD, as well as their consideration of socio-cultural factors such as stigma that might act as barriers and/or facilitators to care. Using the snowball sampling method, twenty-five Argentine teachers, pediatricians, and mental health providers with experience working with children and adolescents were recruited as participants. Data collection took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the summer of 2018. In order to explore themes that might not be reflected in established questionnaires, open-ended questions were asked in an audio-taped, semi-structured interview. Interviews were then transcribed, translated, entered into a qualitative data analysis package (NVivo 12; QSR International, 2010), analyzed using a constant comparison analytic strategy, and developed into a codebook (Thompson et al., 2004).

Content analysis of participants’ answers is still underway; however, preliminary findings highlight several key themes. First, respondents emphasized the relational component between professionals and parents, highlighting positive, long standing relationships and close contact with other care providers as central to facilitating engagement. In addition, they emphasized the importance of professionals understanding the role of socioeconomic status, providing examples of how SES affects communication with parents and impacts potential treatment access and utilization. Additional findings, as well as implications and recommendations for providers, pediatricians, and teachers in the US, will be discussed.

Authors

• Ari Romano-Verthelyi, University of Connecticut
  Presenting Author

• Stephanie Milan, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author

• Oliver Johnston, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jeffrey Burke, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author