Helping Children Cope with Stress: Development and Evaluation of a Parent-Education Program for Low-Income Latina Mothers

Children are facing increasing pressures in multiple aspects of their lives; at home, school, with friends and in their respective communities. Their ability to manage and cope with these changes and pressures can cause stress which impacts them and their families. How parents recognize and understand stressors effecting their children is important: providing parents with tools and strategies position them as a stronger support systems for their children during stressful situations.

Multiple focus groups were conducted in both urban and rural communities across two state. Approximately 200 Spanish speaking Latina mothers and their 9- to 12- year-old children participated in the focus groups; focus groups for Latina mothers were conducted in Spanish while the focus groups for children were conducted in English. Transcripts were analyzed, coded, and categorized to identify emergent themes. Five primary focus areas were identified through analysis: parent’s stress and coping—primary and secondary control strategies; stress in middle childhood; learning how to identify and communicate about stress; helping children understand primary and secondary coping strategies; what parents can to do support their children.

We will introduce the results of analysis and the development of the stress and coping program for Latina mothers and their children and future implications for research and practitioners.