What is it about?
We developed and tested a short, easy-to-use questionnaire (the Caregiver Support Services Questionnaire or CSSQ) that Latinx caregivers can complete on their own. It asks whether their child needed, or received, different types of mental health support—think therapy, school counseling, telepsychology, mentorship programs, and even community or religious help. We found that caregivers whose children show more emotional or behavioral issues report needing and using more services. The tool is reliable and valid for capturing both what help caregivers feel their child needs and what help they actually get.
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Why is it important?
Traditional ways to measure service use rely on interviews that are long, costly, and often miss newer forms of help (like telepsychology or mentorship). Our questionnaire fixes that—it’s quick, doesn’t need an interviewer, and covers a wide range of supports. This opens the door for large-scale studies that can pinpoint how and where Latinx families seek help, helping researchers, policy makers, and clinicians close gaps in access and tailor services more effectively.
Perspectives
As a member of the author team, what excites me most about this project is creating a tool that truly respects and reflects Latinx caregivers’ diverse ways of seeking help for their children. It feels empowering to offer something that caregivers can complete themselves—whether online or in a clinic—without needing a trained interviewer. We're hopeful that this questionnaire can advance both research and real-world care by spotlighting where families are turning when needs arise—and where support is still missing.
Dr. Alejandro L. Vázquez
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Apoyando a la juventud [supporting the youth]: Latinx caregivers’ assessment of youth mental health service need and utilization on the Caregiver Support Services Questionnaire, PLOS Mental Health, June 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000345.
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