Adapting a Coparenting–Focused Prevention Program to Serve Latino Adolescent Parents

The U.S. has the highest adolescent pregnancy rate in the industrialized world (Sedgh et al., 2015). This off-time transition into parenthood means that youth must negotiate co-parental relationships, while learning about romantic relationships (Halpern-Meekin et al., 2013). Further, adolescent parents are highly likely to reside with their own parents (80%; Manlove et al., 2000), meaning that they often have to coparent with their own parents and the baby’s father (Perez-Brena et al., 2015). Managing such relationships in a positive manner is of high importance for Latino adolescent parents, whose culture strongly values family cohesion, obligation, and respect (Knight et al., 2010). Thus, to best serve this population, curricula must acknowledge Latino adolescent parents unique developmental, family, and cultural experience. Thus, the current study gathered focus group data from target clients (Latino adolescent parents) and their support network (i.e., grandparents and school staff) to inform a culturally and developmentally appropriate adaptation of a coparenting prevention curriculum which was originally developed for adults (Feinberg, 2003).

Method

Data were collected at two stages: First, focus group data was collected to inform the cultural adaptation process. Two sets of focus groups were completed with adolescent parents (n = 13; 100% Latino; 69% female), and grandparents (n = 17; 94% Latino; 82% female), to compile information from participants who resided in (1) a large metropolitan city and (2) the surrounding suburban areas. A third set of focus groups was completed with staff members from eight target schools. Second, focus group data was collected from these schools to assess students’ reactions to the subsequent program adaptations. Focus groups lasted 45-90 minutes, and all participants received a $25 stipend.

Results & Discussion

Six major themes emerged within these groups: supporting adolescents’ development, supporting adolescents as parents, power imbalances, romantic relationship changes, the role of adolescent fathers, and cultural conflicts (Table 1). These results align with previous research serving adolescent parents (Lewin et al., 2012) and informed our adaptation of a coparenting curriculum to address the challenges of managing two coparental relationships (i.e., mother-father, parent-adolescent). Further, focus group data related to our adaptation were positive and noted students interest in the new lessons and the topics discussed within our intervention. We will discuss benefits of developing cultural adaptations of existing interventions, with a key focus on surface and deep culture elements.