Psychiatric, Family, and Ethnicity-Related Factors That Can Impact Treatment Utilization Among Hispanic Substance Abusing Adolescents

SUMMARY

There is great significance to improving our understanding of predictors of treatment utilization among Hispanic substance abusing youth. One hundred and ten Hispanic substance abusing adolescents and their parents participated in a study of treatment utilization. Analyses showed that adolescents with lower numbers of externalizing disorders (χ² = 4.18, df = 1, p < .05) and parents with better parenting strategies (χ² = 8.73, df = 2, p < .05), predicted overall treatment utilization (residential + outpatient). Better parenting practices and higher parental years in the U.S. predicted more utilization of outpatient services and lower parenting stress predicted more utilization of residential services. Without specialized engagement strategies, adolescents and families most in need may be the least likely to engage in recommended treatment.

KEYWORDS:

• Hispanic adolescents
• treatment utilization
• substance abuse
• parenting strategies