# Amigas Latinas Motivando el Alma (ALMA): A Randomized Control Trial of an Intervention to Reduce Mental Health Disparities in Mexican Immigrant Women

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2020 · $582,296

## Abstract

Project Summary
Recent studies indicate that 30% of Latina women in the United States are living with clinically significant
depressive and anxiety symptoms, and that these rates increase with time spent in the United States. Latina
immigrants are particularly vulnerable to depression and anxiety due to the many social and economic
stressors they face, including: high levels of poverty, low levels of education, family obligations, language
barriers, and social isolation. Latina immigrants suffering from depression and anxiety are also less likely to
access and utilize quality mental health care, due to lack of health insurance, few culturally and linguistically
competent providers, and stigma associated with seeking mental health care. Community-based interventions
that increase coping strategies and provide social support can help reduce mental health disparities among
Mexican immigrant women. The proposed study aims to address National Institute of Health priorities by
testing the efficacy of the Amigas Latinas Motivando el Alma (ALMA) intervention in a randomized waitlist
control trial. ALMA is an 8-week program offered in a group format to teach women new coping strategies and
enhance their social ties and social support to prevent and reduce their depression and anxiety. Aim 1 of the
proposed study is to refine the ALMA intervention and study procedures to ensure they are culturally-relevant,
using information gained from focus groups and cognitive interviews with Mexican immigrant women. Aim 2 is
to determine the efficacy of the ALMA intervention to reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms using a
randomized waitlist control study design. We will recruit women from community-based organizations serving
Latino immigrants to participate in the program, which will be offered in community settings. We will assess
process outcomes of recruitment, retention, fidelity, and participant satisfaction through observations and in-
depth interviews with participants. We will assess the efficacy of the intervention by comparing changes in
women’s depressive and anxiety symptoms in the intervention and waitlist control groups at four time points
(pre-intervention, post-intervention, 3 months, 6 months). Aim 3 is to assess the potential impact of the
intervention on both individual (stigma, stress, coping strategies) and interpersonal (social support, social ties)
factors, and whether the impact of the intervention is mediated by these factors. The research team includes
investigators in psychology, medicine, social work and public health, as well as community-based
organizations serving Mexican immigrants. The study uses rigorous methods to test an innovative program that
integrates both culturally relevant and evidenced-based strategies to address significant mental health
disparities in a high-risk and underserved population. Findings will help inform future research and practice.
Given the growth of the Latino population, identifying interventions that r...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9929451
- **Project number:** 5R01MD012230-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** India Jane Ornelas
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $582,296
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-24 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9929451

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9929451, Amigas Latinas Motivando el Alma (ALMA): A Randomized Control Trial of an Intervention to Reduce Mental Health Disparities in Mexican Immigrant Women (5R01MD012230-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9929451. Licensed CC0.

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