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Evaluation ViewAttendees 11

Spotlight Research Presentations

Child / Adolescent - Trauma / Maltreatment

Healing Together: The Role of Social Connectedness and Processing Parent Adverse Childhood Experiences in Reducing Depression among Parents of Color in the Child Welfare Systems

Spotlight Research 3 - Healing Together: The Role of Social Connectedness and Processing Parent Adverse Childhood Experiences in Reducing Depression Among Parents of Color in the Child Welfare Systems

Saturday, November 22, 2025
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CST
Location: Celestin B, Level 3
Earn 1 Credit
Keywords: Abuse / Maltreatment, Depression, Treatment
Recommended Readings: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and later-life depression: perceived social support as a potential protective factor
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5588961,   The Long-Term Impact of Parental Mental Health on Children’s Distress Trajectories in Adulthood - Christina Kamis, 2021
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2156869320912520 ,   Parental Social Isolation and Child Maltreatment Risk during the COVID-19 Pandemic
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10896-020-00244-3.pdf,   ,  
Parents of color who are involved with child welfare systems are at a greater risk for depression given the significant intersectional stressors (e.g., poverty, racism). Considering the significant impact of parental depression on children’s health, the disproportionate overrepresentation of families of color in the child welfare systems signifies a critical need for intervention that is contextually sensitive to the stressors among this population. [Name Redacted] is a group family intervention that aims to improve parent-child relationships and well-being for families with children under 5, many of whom are referred by child welfare systems. Two intervention targets are fostering social connectedness and buffering the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on parenting behaviors. Studies have shown that both ACEs and limited social connectedness predicted parental depression and increased child maltreatment risks, supporting processing ACEs and fostering social connectedness in family therapy. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, the current study examines (1) the trajectory of depressive symptoms among parents of color during treatment and (2) the effects of parent ACEs and social connectedness on the initial depressive symptoms at intake and the trajectory of change during treatment. Methods. 722 parents of color (Mage = 29.64, SD = 7.22, 97.23% female) reported depressive symptoms at intake, 3-month follow-up, and at termination. We used latent curve modeling to explore the change of depressive symptoms during treatment and related factors. Results. We found that the depressive symptoms decreased from intake to termination (β = -.29, p < .001), controlling for parent age and treatment duration. Both parent ACEs and limited social connectedness predicted greater depressive symptoms at intake (β = .39 - .70, p < .001) and a greater reduction in depressive symptoms during treatment (β = -.56 - -.32, p < .001). Discussion. Our study showed the effectiveness of the group intervention in reducing depression among parents of color in the child welfare systems, particularly among those with significant ACEs. Further, the results suggested the importance of addressing parent ACEs and fostering social connectedness in family therapy.  

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:
  1. Identify risk factors for depression among parents of color in the child welfare system.
  2. Describe key intervention targets of the [program name redacted].
  3. Explain how intervention address risk factors for depression among parents of color in the child welfare systems.