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Symposia

Culture / Ethnicity / Race

Innovative Strategies for the Dissemination of Evidence-Based Practices among Spanish-Speakers

2 - (SYM 69) Necesito Un Psicologo: A Behavioral Activation (BA) Telenovela Intervention for Depression Among Spanish-speaking Latines

Sunday, November 23, 2025
2:22 PM - 2:41 PM CST
Location: Celestin H, Level 3
Keywords: Treatment Development, Evidence-Based Practice, Hispanic American/ Latinx
Recommended Readings: Dalgleish, T., Black. M., Johnston, D., & Bevan, A. (2020). Transdiagnostic approaches to mental health problems: Current status and future directions. J Consult Clin Psychol, 88(3),179-195.https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000482.,   Green, J.G., McLaughlin, K.A., Fillbrunn, M., Fuluda, M., Jackson, M.J., Kessler, R.C., Sadikova, E., Sampson, N.A., Vilsaint, C., Williams, D.R., Cruz-Gonzalez, M., & Alegria, M. (2020) Barriers to mental health service use and predictors of treatment drop out: Racial/Ethnic variation in a population-based study. Adm Policy Ment Health, 47, 606–616. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-020-01021-6,   Pavlenko, A. (2012). Affective processing in bilingual speakers: Disembodied cognition?. International Journal of Psychology, 47(6), 405-428. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207594.2012.743665,   Estrada, Y., Lee, T. K., Wagstaff, R., M Rojas, L., Tapia, M. I., Velázquez, M. R., Sardinas, K., Pantin, H., Sutton, M. Y., & Prado, G. (2019). eHealth familias unidas: Efficacy trial of an evidence-based intervention adapted for use on the internet with hispanic families. Prevention Science : The official journal of the Society for Prevention Research, 20(1), 68–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-018-0905-6,  
Abstract Body

The beneficial effects of Behavioral Activation (BA) for depression have been extensively documented. However, access to BA remains a challenge for Spanish-speaking Latinxs due to internal (e.g., stigma, behavioral health literacy) and situational (e.g., transportation, childcare, financial) barriers. Internet-based interventions can mitigate these barriers, but engagement and reach limitations continue to exist. To address these challenges, we developed and evaluated “Necesito Un Psicólogo,” a culturally attuned, telenovela-based BA adaptation delivered via WhatsApp.

This feasibility study recruited 32 Spanish-speaking Latinas with mild to moderate depression from a specialized behavioral health clinic. The six-episode telenovela delivered BA principles through the narrative of Maria, a Latina experiencing depression, as she learned and applied BA skills. Measures included pre- and post-treatment assessments of depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), engagement (weekly skill use and task completion), and treatment satisfaction (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8, Treatment Acceptability Questionnaire).

Findings revealed significant reductions in depressive symptoms from pre- to post-intervention (t(31) = .1.91, p = .03; d = 1.01). Engagement was high, with the majority of participants completing weekly tasks and reporting skill application. Treatment satisfaction was also high, with a mean rating of 8.21 (SD = 1.94) out of 10. Qualitative data from exit interviews highlighted ease of use, perceived effectiveness, and increased depression literacy among participants. These findings support the feasibility of a telenovela-based BA intervention for Spanish-speaking Latinxs. This study demonstrates the potential for culturally adapted, internet-based behavioral health interventions to reduce disparities in depression treatment access and engagement. Future research should explore long-term efficacy and scalability in broader Latinx communities.

On this presentation we (1) describe the development of the protocol and methodology of the study, (2) review the results obtained regarding feasibility and effectiveness, and (3) consider the implications of these findings for future studies.