Family-Based Prevention Program Proves Effective in Reducing Risky Behavior in Adolescents

Strategic Insights -

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Georgia found that a family-based prevention program, Strong African American Families (SAAF), was particularly effective in reducing risky behavior in adolescents with a genetic risk factor contributing to such behavior. The program, which was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), targeted families in rural Georgia and provided them with prevention sessions on parenting strategies and youth development. The results of the study, which appeared in the May/June issue of Child Development, showed that adolescents with a genetic risk factor who participated in the SAAF program were no more likely to engage in drinking, marijuana smoking, and other risky behaviors than their counterparts without the gene.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Strong African American Families (SAAF) program was found to be particularly effective in reducing risky behavior in adolescents with a genetic risk factor, such as impulsivity and low self-control.
  • The program, which consisted of seven consecutive weeks of two-hour prevention sessions, focused on parenting strategies and youth development, teaching parents and children how to set and attain positive goals, deal with peer pressure and stress, and avoid risky activities.
  • The researchers found that adolescents with the genetic risk factor in the comparison group were twice as likely to have engaged in drinking, marijuana smoking, and other risky behaviors as those in the prevention group.
  • The study highlights the importance of family-centered prevention programs in promoting healthy development during adolescence, especially when children have a biological makeup that may pose a challenge.
  • The results emphasize the ability of effective parenting to override genetic predispositions to risky behaviors, demonstrating the capacity of family-centered prevention programs to benefit developing adolescents.

Statistics:

  • The study recruited 641 families in rural Georgia, with 291 assigned to a control group and 350 assigned to the SAAF program.
  • The researchers conducted home visits with the families when the children were ages 11, 12, and 14 and collected data on parent-child relationships, peer relationships, youth goals for the future, and youth risk behavior.
  • The DNA analysis showed that the short allele form of 5-HTTLPR, a genetic variation associated with impulsivity and substance use, was found in over 40 percent of the participants.
  • The results showed that adolescents with the genetic risk factor in the SAAF program were no more likely to engage in drinking, marijuana smoking, and other risky behaviors than their counterparts without the gene.

Sources:

  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
  • University of Georgia, Center for Family Research
  • Child Development, May/June issue
  • NIH/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism