Barreras y Soluciones: Lessons learned from integrating research-based clinical techniques into a community agency serving low-income Latinx immigrant families.

Abstract

Barriers facing effective science-to-practice translation have led scholars to conduct early-stage intervention research within community organizations. We describe our experiences developing a manualized parent-youth attachment-based group therapy intervention within a community health organization dedicated to serving low-income Latinx immigrant families, Latino Health Access (LHA), in which services are rendered by trained community workers (promotores). By conducting a qualitative analysis of interviews with all members of this academic-community partnership (research [Principal Investigator, student researchers] and community agency team members [Administrators, promotores]), we discuss the challenges and opportunities that this collaboration has generated. The results led both the research and community teams to question assumptions about the basic skills, values, and attitudes that underlie the integration of science and practice. We will share the insights that have helped to promote connection and understanding among the stakeholders and the efforts made to support the progress and successes of developing community interventions.