Attenuated Psychosis Syndromes Among Latino-American Youth and Young Adults in the United States: Early Identification and Intervention

Abstract

Attenuated psychosis syndromes (APS) have been primarily described with studies based in non-Latino populations even though Latinos have become the largest minority group in the United States; they will represent 25% of the US population by 2050. Although Latino-American youth and young adults certainly suffer from an abundance of serious mental health issues, they are receiving woefully inadequate treatment. The lack of resources and access for mental health treatment of Latino-American youth comes with significant costs individually and societally. Given that the Latino population is among the largest and fastest-growing demographic group in the United States and the high social and economic burdens associated with lack of treatment of mental illness, it is clearly time to focus attention and resources on this group. Latino-American youth and young adults need and deserve adequate mental health assessment and treatment. International collaboration on studies of Latino youth with APS may also be greatly beneficial in identifying methods of improving assessment, intervention, and treatment of symptoms and reduction of mental health issues in the future. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)