BETHLEHEM, PA — Spanish-speaking Americans in need of mental health care often face long waitlists and limited options, a reality driven by a dramatic shortage of Spanish-speaking therapists.
A new study led by an assistant professor in the Lehigh University College of Education highlights the persistent barriers that Spanish-speaking therapists face, from finding training materials in their language to adapting therapy techniques for culturally diverse clients. Yet it also shows that, when given access to high-quality training, these clinicians deliver care that meets—and even exceeds—national standards.
The research, led by Dr. Vanesa Mora Ringle, tracked nearly 1,500 therapists through a seven-month cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training program. It found that Spanish-speaking therapists, despite being older and more experienced than their English-speaking peers, started with lower initial scores in CBT competence, likely reflecting the scarcity of evidence-based training resources available in Spanish. But after completing the training, Spanish-speaking therapists made greater gains in CBT skills. They ultimately surpassed the established benchmark for quality, with a mean certification score of 42.8 compared to 41.4 for English-speaking therapists…