Understanding Parental Locus of Control in Latino Parents: Examination of Cultural Influences and Help-Seeking Intentions for Childhood ADHD

Objective: To address the disparities that exist in utilization of mental health services for ADHD among Latino families and to further our understanding of factors that influence parents' decisions to seek treatment for ADHD, the goal of the current study was to examine parental locus of control (PLOC) in a community sample of Latino parents. Specifically, the current study investigated cultural influences on PLOC, as well as the influence of PLOC on help-seeking. Method: Seventy-four primarily Spanish-speaking, Latino parents of school-age children completed measures to assess their help-seeking intentions, PLOC, and cultural orientation. Results: Results indicated that U.S. mainstream orientation was associated with increased feelings of parental control and decreased beliefs in fate/chance and several Latino cultural values were associated with increased beliefs in fate/chance, and decreased feelings of parental efficacy and parental control. In addition, 2 PLOC domains (e.g., parental efficacy and fate/chance) were associated with beliefs that the behaviors of a child with ADHD would go away on their own. Conclusions: Results highlight the need for interventions aimed at modifying parenting behavior to take parents' cultural beliefs and values into account in order to accommodate and engage Latino families more effectively.