WHAT WORKS FOR LATINO/HISPANIC CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions

Children and adolescents of Latino/Hispanic background often face challenges that differ from other subpopulations in the United States. Language barriers, issues related to parental citizenship status, and the economic disadvantages often faced by these children and adolescents can result in various negative outcomes, such as depression, substance abuse, gang-related violence, and suicide. While several programs and interventions targeting Latino children have been implemented over the last decade, data on what out-of-school time programs and approaches work among this population are scarce. Identification of what works for Latino children and adolescents is a critical step in furthering efforts to improve outcomes.