Parent perspectives from participating in a family component for CBITS: Acceptability of a culturally informed school-based program.

Abstract

This study explored parents' responses to a family component developed as an addition to the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS). The family component was developed to improve engagement and participation in CBITS and to support parents' own skill-building. To evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of the family component from the perspective of parents who participated, qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 low-income, Latino parents (80% female; 80% immigrants; average age = 38.07). Themes emerged across 3 primary categories: Need for CBITS + Family, Results of Participating in CBITS + Family, and Implications for Feasibility. Parents agreed that there was a need for programs like CBITS and expressed a firm belief in the importance of parental involvement with their children and schools. Parents reported a high level of satisfaction with the family component and indicated that it was beneficial to them, culturally relevant, and that they would recommend it to others. Still, some logistical barriers to participation and areas for improvement were noted. Overall, the results of this study indicate that CBITS + Family is an appropriate, acceptable, and feasible intervention for Latino families. Supplemental data from children whose parents participated in the program provide further support for the value of the family component. Clinical implications for implementing culturally sensitive, school-based interventions with parents are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record