FAMILY-CENTERED YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM

PROPOSED IS A FAMILY-CENTERED YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM (FC-YSAPP). THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP, COMPREHENSIVELY FIELD TEST AND REFINE THE PROGRAM FOR THE MARKET. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR USE BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR FAMILIES WITH PREADOLESCENTS AT RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE/ABUSE IN AN URBAN SETTING. FC-YSAPP WILL BE DEVELOPED AND TESTED FOR EFFECTIVENESS FOR MINORITY/ETHNIC AS WELL AS FOR MAJORITY YOUTH. IT INCLUDES BOTH A PARENT AND CHILD COMPONENT. DURING THE NINE-SESSION COURSE, INSTRUCTION INVOLVES PARENTS MEETING ALONE AND CHILDREN MEETING ALONE AT CERTAIN TIMES AND TOGETHER AT OTHER TIMES. PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS WILL BE TESTED VIA A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 500 FAMILIES HAVING A SIXTH-GRADE CHILD. AN ESTIMATED 65 PERCENT WOULD BE MINORITY FAMILIES. FAMILIES WILL BE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO TREATMENT AND CONTROL GROUPS. FOLLOWUP DATA WILL BE COLLECTED ONE YEAR AFTER COURSE COMPLETION. PHASE I INCLUDES CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING FOR AUDIOVISUALS. UNDERLYING PROGRAM DIMENSIONS: PARENTS: NURTURANCE AND CONTROL (INCLUDING MONITORING OF CHILD'S OUT-OF-HOME BEHAVIOR); CHILDREN: PEER RELATIONS AND DEVELOPING RESPONSIBILITY. INCLUDES INFORMATION ON RELATIONOF DRUG ABUSE TO AIDS. PHASE II INCLUDES PRODUCTION OF AUDIOVISUALS, A COMPREHENSIVE FIELD TEST OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS, FOLLOWED BY REFINEMENT OF FC-YSAPP.