Date of Graduation

8-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Psychological Science

Advisor/Mentor

Quetsch, Lauren

Committee Member

Dr Valandra

Second Committee Member

Jessica Fugitt

Abstract

Black and Latine families of autistic youth continue to face mental health disparities, some of which have been attributed to poor access to services, discrimination, and poor culturally responsive care. Black and Latine families call for more family-centered treatments that are in accordance with their values and culture with options for treatments to be delivered by clinicians with similar racial and ethnic backgrounds. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a widely known evidenced-based treatment (EBT) that has been used with Latine, Black, and neurodiverse children to improve the parent-child relationship and reduce challenging behaviors. Although considerable efforts have been made to disseminate PCIT to the wider community, fewer strides have been made to reach Black and Latine families in underserved communities. One method to bridge the service gap for Black and Latine families of autistic youth is to train Black and Latine clinicians who primarily serve Black and Latine communities. Black and Latine mental health providers are highly underrepresented in evidenced-based trainings, especially ones that target autistic populations. Further, minimal trainings have used culturally grounded techniques to emphasize the values and needs of Black and Latine individuals. The current study will utilize a qualitative design to examine the clinical and cultural impact of a pilot training for Black and Latine mental health providers on a culturally informed adaptation for PCIT with autistic youth, the Creating Communities PCIT initiative. The results of this study will have implications for future dissemination efforts of PCIT to culturally diverse providers and families.

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