Cady Berkel, Melissa Hagan, Sharlene Wolchik, Nancy Gonzales,

Irwin Sandler, Clorinda Schenck & Emily Winslow

Prevention Research Center

Arizona State University

Society for Prevention Research

May 27, 2009

Contact: cady.berkel@asu.edu

What do facilitators & participants bring to the table?

Collaborative adaptation processes in the

New Beginnings Program

Cultural Adaptations

Transitioning an EBP from efficacy to effectiveness often requires some retooling to ensure that the program fits the ecological context of the new environment

Beyond planned adaptations, in situ adaptations will inevitably occur –because culture takes place on the local level

New Beginnings

The New Beginnings Program (NBP) has demonstrated positive long-term mental health benefits for adolescents following parental divorce by increasing effective discipline and improving parent-child relationship quality

The sample was 88% European American

The Process of Culturally Adapting the

New Beginnings Program (NBP)

Surface structure adaptations

Pilot tested planned adaptations African American

Latina

Asian American

Participants and group leaders provided culturally-focused process and content feedback throughout the program via surveys and focus groups

Data

Sessions were videorecorded, with mothers and facilitators visible on screen

Data for the current study came one of the groups with African American mothers

Group was led by two clinical psychology graduate students under supervision. One facilitator was Afro-Caribbean and the other was European American.

Analysis

Observed all sessions

Sections containing challenges to the program or new material were transcribed and coded inductively

Findings were compared to research with African Americans to triangulate the relevance to cultural values or practices

Results: Impact of divorce on health

“If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of them.”

Results: Importance of family

Warm, communicative relationships between mothers and children through home practice assignments

Family Fun Time

One-on-One Time

Families were already engaging in these activities

Extended family

Results: Hierarchical family structure

Direction of communication: Parent -> child

Places parent in the role of teacher

Appears incongruent with elements of activities designed to increase bonding (Family Fun Time & One-on-One Time)

Results: Communication patterns

Mm-hmms and summary statements

“We don’t usually talk to our kids like that, at some point my daughter would have said, duh!”

Results: Addressing disrespect

“As the parent you want to correct that because it’s just something you don’t do, it’s disrespectful. It’s like when you walk into a room you say hello, whether you know the person or not. You’re not bringing the negative into a room with new people.”

Results: Ignoring bad behaviors

“What does it mean by ignore bad behaviors? You don’t ignore that!”

Results: Addressing Problem Behaviors

“And there are some things that are so serious that it needs to be STOPPED NOW. I need you to stop it now and not ever ever do it again.”

Discussion

Both participants and facilitators actively engaged with the program and negotiated its content to make it fit the needs and cultural values of the participants

Facilitators responded with affirming, fidelity, adaptation, negotiation

Process of negotiation takes much more time than is allotted to the activity, which can cause problems for facilitators in achieving fidelity

Observational studies of implementation can inform future iterations of the program by identifying problems and solutions accomplished collaboratively by facilitators and participants