(PS5-C68) A Latent Profile Analysis of Caregiver Responses on the Ohio Scales, Hopefulness Domain with a Large Community Mental Health Sample

Hope theorists posit that the construct of “Hopefulness” can be a positive indicator of overall wellness. Research suggests that higher levels of hopefulness have been associated with positive treatment outcomes (e.g., lower behavioral difficulties; Valle et al., 2004). However, few studies have examined the role of hopefulness in treatment with multiethnic youth, and it is unclear whether extant findings are generalizable to these populations. Further, despite the growing literature on clinical value brought by assessing caregiver perspectives on youth treatment, there is a lack of psychometric investigations on hopefulness measures capturing caregiver perspectives. As the only measure assessing hopefulness from a multi-informant perspective, the Ohio Scales, Hopefulness Scale (Ogles et al., 1996) provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the literature by examining the role of hopefulness in treatment using a caregiver sample of multiethnic youth receiving community mental health services within a large system of care. Along these lines, the current study aims to use person-centered approaches, such as latent profile analysis, to derive important information about possible subdimensions of hopefulness that may be present in these populations by grouping individuals based on their pattern of hopefulness.

Participants included 986 caregivers of youth receiving community mental health services through the [STATE] Department of Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division. Youths were ethnically diverse (30.5% multiethnic, 8.2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 6.2% White, 6.4% Asian, 0.9% Black, 0.1% American Indian/Alaska Native; 47.7% not reported), 61% male, average age of 12.74 (SD = 3.5), and were treated for a range of problem areas (e.g., depression and anxiety; disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Latent profile analysis was conducted using caregiver responses on the Ohio Scales, Hopefulness Domain recorded at treatment intake. This 4-item measure assesses caregiver hopefulness about their ability to care for their child on a 1 to 6 scale, inquiring about factors such as current stress levels and optimism about their child’s future. We examined potential class structures and ultimately selected the five-class model based on superior fit indices (e.g., lower Bayesian Information Criterion, LMR test p < .05 compared to four-class model) and clearer interpretability when compared to other profile options. Descriptions of the five classes will be discussed, along with implications for implementing evidence-based therapies within the context of a large community system of care which serves ethnically diverse populations. Study limitations and future directions will also be presented.