Engaging Rural Parents in Family-Focused Programs to Prevent Youth Substance Abuse

Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care, 2012

American Journal of Community Psychology, 2009

Considerable research has demonstrated that substance use and delinquency during early adolescence can have long-term negative health consequences. As the correlates of these behaviors cross levels and contexts, it is likely that a socioecological approach will provide insight to inform community prevention. This approach informs the present study, which focuses on developing a multiple-method measurement strategy to examine associations among community risks, resources, and rates of early adolescent substance use and delinquency in 28 rural and small town communities. Measures include five domains of community risk, four domains of community resources, and population rates of early adolescent substance use and delinquency. Results demonstrated that several measures of context were significantly associated with community rates of adolescent substance use and delinquency, and different risks and resources appear important for different outcomes. Multiple associations were curvilinear, and interactions may also be important. Findings suggest that it may be worthwhile to create and test new intervention strategies that target community factors in the pursuit of prevention.

Addictive Behaviors, 1998

Epidemiological research indicates that the prevalence rate of drug use among adolescents has risen steadily during this decade, and although alcohol use has stabilized it is still highly prevalent. Psychosocial etiological models have typically examined main effects of risk and protective factors. This study examined moderating effects of intrapersonal skills on social (peer and parental) risks associated with alcohol and marijuana use among eighth-grade rural adolescents, an understudied population. Results indicated that the relationships of peer and parental attitudes, and peer usage to alcohol and marijuana use, are moderated by adolescents' decision-making and self-reinforcement skills. Social risk factors were strongly associated with increased alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents with poor intrapersonal skills. However, good decision-making and self-reinforcement skills diminished the influence of social risk factors on substance use. Results are discussed in terms of implications for psychosocial models of alcohol and drug use, and for designing effective school-based universal prevention interventions.

Health Education Research, 2012

Mothers were allowed to choose between two different family-based adolescent alcohol-drug prevention strategies and the choice was examined in relation to parent and teen characteristics. Under real world conditions, parents are making choices regarding health promotion strategies for their adolescents and little is known about how parent and teen characteristics interact with programs chosen. The two programs were: Family Matters (FM) (Bauman KE, Foshee VA, Ennett ST et al. Family Matters: a family-directed program designed to prevent adolescent tobacco and alcohol use. Health Promot Pract 2001; 2: 81-96) and Strengthening Families Program (SFP) 10-14 (Spoth R, Redmond C, Lepper H. Alcohol initiation outcomes of universal family-focused preventive interventions: one-and two-year follow-ups of a controlled study. J Stud Alcohol Suppl 1999; 13: 103-11). A total of 272 families with an 11-12 years old enrolled in health care centers were in the choice condition of the larger study. SFP requires group meetings at specified times and thus demanded more specific time commitments from families. In contrast, FM is self-directed through booklets and is delivered in the home at a time chosen by the families. Mothers were significantly more likely to choose SFP when the adolescent had more problem behaviors. Mothers with greater education were more likely to choose FM. Findings may provide more realworld understanding of how some families are more likely to engage in one type of intervention over another. This understanding offers practical information for developing health promotion systems to service the diversity of families in the community.

Substance Use & Misuse, 2009

Data from the 2004 Monitoring the Future survey examined a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of 8th to 12th grade adolescents in rural and urban schools from across the United States (N= 37,507). Results found that drug use among daughters living with single fathers significantly exceeded that of daughters living with single mothers, while gender of parent was not associated with sons' usage. This distinction in adolescent drug use between mother-only versus father-only households is largely overlooked in contemporary studies. Factors responsible for variations in sons' and daughters' usage in single-parent families have important implications for future drug prevention efforts.

BMC Public Health

Background Adolescent substance use has long been a top public health priority. In Indiana, concerning recent trends show high rates of youth alcohol consumption coupled with increasing use of opioids, synthetic marijuana, and over-the-counter drugs. Based on research indicating that parent-based prevention efforts may be a particularly effective way to target adolescent substance use, and in a direct effort to address Indiana’s 2017 Strategic Plan to Address Substance Use, we conducted an applied research study targeting parents’ knowledge regarding adolescent substance use in Indiana. Methods This community-based applied research study included: (i) a needs assessment of Indiana Extension Educators’ concerns regarding adolescent substance use, (ii) creation and dissemination of an evidence-informed parent education program on adolescent substance use in collaboration with Purdue Extension (a key community stakeholder), and (iii) qualitative focus group discussions at the end of ea...

Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2011

Most studies that explore parental knowledge of youths' activities utilize parents' and youths' reports separately. Using a sample of 938 rural early adolescents (53% female; 84% White), we explore congruence between mothers' and youths' perceptions of maternal knowledge and its association with youth problem behaviors (delinquency, substance use, and attitudes towards substances). Maternal overestimation of knowledge (compared to youths' ratings) was positively associated with delinquency and negatively associated with healthy drug attitudes. Significant differences in problem behaviors were found between four groups created based on mothers' and youths' level of knowledge (High Youth and Mother, High Youth/Low Mother, Low Youth/High Mother, and Low Youth and Mother). The High Youth and Mother group demonstrated less substance use and healthier drug attitudes than the Low Youth and Mother group. The Low Youth/ High Mother group had significantly higher levels of substance use and delinquency than the High Youth and Mother group. Intervention implications are discussed.

Contemporary Rural Social Work, 2015

Rural communities seeking strategies to enhance the well-being of their youth must have local data for guidance. As a concept, developmental youth assets is increasingly used in measuring the psycho-social health of adolescents. This longitudinal study focuses on a cohort of over 200 youths residing in a rural community located in northeast Ohio. This five-year study observes trends of eight assets and the use of three substances. Results show that a decrease in asset scores took place between the sixth and eighth grade while the use of substances increased between the eighth and tenth grades. Additionally, outcomes show that youths coming from households without two parents have lower assets scores and higher substance use rates compared to youth residing in two-parent households. Strategies used by this community upon obtaining results are discussed.

2001

The present study examined the mechanisms by which social competence may be associated with substance use during early adolescence. The sample consisted of rural youth (N = 1,568) attending 36 junior high schools in a midwestern state. Structural equation modeling indicated that social competence had a direct protective association with substance use in that those youth who were more socially confident, assertive, and had better communication skills reported less smoking and drinking. Further analyses revealed that the relationship between social competence and substance use was fully mediated by social benefit expectancies of use. These findings suggest that poorly competent youth turn to smoking and alcohol use because they perceive that there are important social benefits to doing so, such as having more friends, looking grown up and "cool," and having more

2012

Research Problem Communities across the United States are challenged with the task of transforming youths into healthy, productive adults. The socialization process is made more challenging when considering that adolescence is a time of disengagement from one's family of origin, testing of established norms, and experimentation with new ideas and concepts. In addition, adolescence is also the time for astonishing changes in biological, psychological and social learning. Just at the time when youths are in their latter stages of growth prior to their entrance into adulthood, many choose to alter their path by engaging in behavior that is counterproductive to healthy development. Rural communities face the same challenges but with unique conditions. Although there is no prototypical rural community, there are general characteristics that present similar challenges in helping youths through their developmental process. Living in areas that are sparsely populated means greater spatial distances between people and services resulting in a higher degree of self-care. Formal support systems such as professional health, mental health and substance abuse resources are limited resulting in addressing these types of needs through informal systems (Kelleher & Robbins, 1997). Reliance on informal support systems such as family and neighbors can provide a supportive environment for youths; however, it can also lead to difficulty in seeking help in a confidential or anonymous manner. Private matters can quickly become public matters, with everyone knowing everyone else's private affairs (Kelleher & Robbins). With rural communities facing restricted budgets along with limited resources, intervention strategies must be comprehensive as well as effective. In the past, deficit reduction strategies have been used to respond to youth risk behaviors. This strategy incorporates the perspective that targets for intervention population groups that are manifesting a problem or condition that runs counter to healthy development (Benson, 2003). Lacking a comprehensive perspective, such strategies are neither efficient nor, most argue, effective when considering that all youths need various assets to help them develop and avoid high-risk behaviors. A more effective strategy may be produced by the development of youth assets found to be most closely associated with avoiding specific risk behaviors by youths in their specific rural community. This type of prevention based approach would offer the best opportunity to bring systems together to work collectively brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk

The Journal of Rural Health, 2007

Purpose-To examine substance use differences among African-American adolescents living in rural and more urban areas in Iowa and Georgia and factors thought to be related to those differences. Specifically, negative affect and perceived availability were examined as mediators of the relation between community size and alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.

Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 2011

Prevention Science, 2019

Family-based prevention programs increasingly are being disseminated and can be effective for an array of adolescent problem behaviors, including substance use initiation. Yet, we continue to have little understanding of how and why these programs work. Increased specificity in our understanding of what components drive program effects can facilitate refinement of programs, with potential for greater impact at a lower cost. Using attendance data, previously coded intervention components, and a previously developed propensity model to adjust for potential bias, this study evaluated content component-specific dosage effects of the Strengthening Families Program: for Parents and Youth Ages 10-14 on three substance use initiation outcomes by grade 12. Results indicated that greater dosages of program content related to (a) parental monitoring and behavior management strategies and (b) promoting positive family relationships had potent and robust effects on reduction of risk for initiating drunkenness and marijuana use and (c) self-regulation and stress management had potent and robust effects on reduction of risk for initiating cigarette and marijuana use. Results indicate potential critical components within SFP 10-14 and offer a path forward for continuing work in efforts to optimize this widely disseminated program.

The journal of behavioral health services & research, 2012

Youth in disadvantaged neighborhoods are at risk for poor health outcomes. Characteristics of these neighborhoods may translate into intensified risk due to barriers utilizing preventive care, such as substance use prevention programs. While family-level risks affect recruitment into prevention programs, few studies have addressed the influence of neighborhood risks. This study consists of 744 families with an 11-12 year old child recruited for a family-based substance use prevention program. Using U.S. Census data, logistic regressions showed neighborhoods were related to recruitment, beyond individual characteristics. Greater neighborhood unemployment was related to decreased agreement to participate in the study and lower rates of high school graduation were related to lower levels of actual enrollment. Conversely, higher rates of singlefemale headed households were related to increased agreement. Recruitment procedures may need to recognize the variety of barriers and enabling forces within the neighborhood in developing different strategies for the recruitment of youth and their families.

This article explores factors influencing adolescent female substance use in rural communities. Self-reported data gathered from females 12 to 15 years of age in two northwestern communities in the United States showed an association among gender identity, peer and parental relationships, and substance use. Aggressive masculinity had the strongest association with substance use while peer attachment and parent attachment offered some protection. Study findings suggest that early adolescent females exhibiting aggressive behavior are at higher risk for substance use. Along with students who have little parent or peer support, this group represents a target for personal/social development programs that could be implemented by school counselors.