| Parental depression in the Hispanic community represents an important mental health concern for Hispanic families. Hispanics may experience exacerbated psychosocial symptoms of depression when undergoing acculturation to the U.S. Therefore, it is essential to understand the cultural implications that may negatively affect treatment, such as significant pressures placed on the family, as well as those that may have salutary effects, such as reliance on religion as a coping mechanism.;It is also important to understand the psychosocial effects of parental depression, such as social and occupational disruptions, financial difficulties, marital discord, additional mental health disorders, learning and memory deficits, and an increased risk of suicide. In addition, psychosocial implications extend well beyond the individual diagnosed with depression. Specifically, parental depression places the individual's spouse and his or her children at risk for maladaptive social and psychological stressors.;A number of psychosocial interventions exist that target those impacted by depression in order to decrease or eliminate psychosocial risks. Given the potential severity of depressive symptoms and the broad psychosocial impact of the disorder, it is essential to address these concerns in a family-oriented fashion in order to provide care to all family members affected. Family treatment is also beneficial because of the strong values placed on the family and group ideals within the Hispanic culture.;In the following dissertation I discuss the creation of a manualized multi-family group treatment, Familias Fuertes, intended for use by mental health professionals looking to address this need within the Hispanic community. Familias Fuertes is a comprehensive two-session intervention focusing on both the family unit and each family member in an attempt to manage some of the more salient psychosocial stressors associated with parental depression. It centers on building family and individual strengths, such as the improvement of coping skills, problem solving techniques, and communication. This manual is essential because there is currently no other approach, to the best of my knowledge, that addresses parental depression within the Hispanic community using a culturally sensitive multi-family group intervention. |
