Scaling out evidence-based interventions outside the U.S. mainland: Social justice or Trojan horse?

Abstract

Global health disparities continue to widen as professional standards for effectiveness of mental health services provision become more precise and difficult to achieve across varied economic and social contexts. Within the US, health disparities are evident in Latinx populations. Globally, the health disparities are also evident in Latin America as compared to the US and other economically affluent nations. The diversification of psychology in content and persons has led to a unique opportunity to build bridges that can help reduce disparities inand outside of the US mainland. Collaborations can be of great use in addressing health disparities internationally but also are of critical importance in testing the ecological validity of existing interventions. It is imperative that researchers approach these exchanges as truly collaborative and power even, as researchers in all locations stand to learn and grow from the partnership, otherwise US-based researchers can unwittingly engage intellectual colonization and advance cultural imperialism. US-based researchers must be particularly thoughtful about disparities in both resources and consequences for success and failures in research contexts. We discuss specific failures, recoveries, and successes that may be useful to other researchers engaged, or seeking to engage in, international collaborations.