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1.
Prev Sci ; 24(2): 249-258, 2023 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36626022

ABSTRACT

To understand which families are likely to benefit most from resource-intensive family-based, evidence-based interventions (EBIs), we must examine the key, modifiable determinant of family functioning. The purpose of this study was to (1) identify whether there are subgroups of Hispanic parents that differ meaningfully based on their family functioning at baseline, (2) test whether the Familias Unidas preventive intervention was differentially effective across the baseline family functioning subgroups, and (3) understand the mechanisms of intervention effectiveness within each baseline family functioning subgroup. On a pooled data set of 4 completed efficacy and effectiveness trials of Familias Unidas (n = 1445 low-income, Hispanic immigrant origin, parents and their adolescent between the ages of 12-17), we conducted a series of secondary data analyses. Latent profile analyses revealed four significantly different profiles: (1) low family functioning (n = 210, 14.55%), (2) low-to-moderate family functioning (n = 554, 38.39%), (3) moderate-to-high family functioning (n = 490, 33.96%), and (4) high family functioning (n = 189, 13.10%). A structural equation modeling approach found there were significant differences in intervention effectiveness between the subgroups. The low family functioning subgroup experienced gains in family functioning, and in turn, lower levels of adolescent substance use, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms. The high family functioning subgroup showed significant direct effects of the intervention on adolescent substance use, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms, but no indirect effects through improvements in family functioning. Implications for screening, targeting, and adapting interventions are discussed.


Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Substance-Related Disorders , Humans , Adolescent , Child , Parents , Unsafe Sex/prevention & control , Hispanic or Latino , Substance-Related Disorders/prevention & control , HIV Infections/prevention & control
2.
J Prim Prev ; 42(2): 97-124, 2021 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33532952

ABSTRACT

We piloted the preventive intervention e-Familias Unidas, delivered exclusively through the Internet to maximize reach and sustainability. This program is an adaptation of an evidence-based, family-centered intervention that aims to prevent Hispanic adolescent drug use and risky sexual behavior through improving family functioning. The purpose of this feasibility trial was to: (1) explore the use of Facebook and a trusted community champion in the online recruitment of Hispanic parents of adolescents, (2) test an online-only assessment and randomization protocol, (3) pilot intervention delivery via e-familiasunidas.com, and (4) assess pre-post changes in family functioning. We tracked participant recruitment and enrollment via Facebook analytics and REDCap. Intervention completion was tracked via our website. We conducted an ANCOVA to test for between group (e-Familias Unidas vs. control) differences post-intervention. Recruitment lasted for a total of 10 weeks and was divided into three phases, with each phase systematically assessing which strategies maximized recruitment and enrollment. Overall, 93 Hispanic parents enrolled in the study. Of those randomized to the intervention group (n = 46), 70% were engaged and watched an average of 5.4 out of the 12 online videos. We found that participants recruited through a community champion, versus Facebook advertisements, had higher rates of enrollment and intervention completion. There was a significant improvement in parent-adolescent communication for parents who received e-Familias Unidas compared to those in the control group (n = 47). This pilot trial demonstrated it is feasible to recruit, assess, and deliver e-Familias Unidas to Hispanic parents through an online-only platform. Our findings highlight the promise of an online platform to optimize the reach of preventive interventions for underserved populations, to more effectively target participants, and to disseminate sustainable evidence-based interventions. We discuss lessons learned and recommendations for future research.


Subject(s)
Parent-Child Relations , Substance-Related Disorders , Adolescent , Feasibility Studies , Hispanic or Latino , Humans , Risk-Taking
3.
J Nutr Educ Behav ; 52(9): 840-849, 2020 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32595083

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of adolescent self-report of family mealtime communication on obesity-related behaviors in single- and dual-parent households and by sex in a sample of overweight and obese Hispanic adolescents. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of a randomized control trial SETTING: Eighteen middle schools in Miami-Dade County, Florida. PARTICIPANTS: Two-hundred and eighty Hispanic seventh- and eighth-grade students MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, and added sugar intake. ANALYSIS: Structural equation modeling. RESULTS: The findings indicate that mealtime communication was associated with fruit and vegetable consumption in boys (ß = .30; P = .001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-2.68) and physical activity in girls (ß = .26; P = .010; 95% CI, 0.16-1.30). Moreover, a single-parent household was associated with dietary consumption in boys (fruit and vegetable intake [ß= .18; P = .039; 95% CI, 0.02-2.60] but had a moderating effect on fruit and vegetable consumption in girls (ß = .21; P = .015; 95% CI, 0.14-2.19). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Family mealtime communication may impact dietary and physical activity outcomes in Hispanic adolescents with overweight and obesity, but differentially across gender and household parent makeup. These findings, together with the prevalence of single parents, point to the importance of targeting Hispanic single parents as agents of change to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in their children via positive mealtime interactions.


Subject(s)
Diet/statistics & numerical data , Family , Hispanic or Latino/statistics & numerical data , Meals , Pediatric Obesity/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Communication , Cross-Sectional Studies , Exercise/physiology , Female , Fruit , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Parent-Child Relations , Single-Parent Family , Students , Vegetables
4.
Int J Ment Health Addict ; 17(3): 467-478, 2019 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31814808

ABSTRACT

College drinking is a serious health concern. Few studies have examined screening measures and methods of administration. This study compares two alcohol screens (NIAAA 5/4 binge drinking question or Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)) in a college student health clinic waiting room and two modes of administration (self-administered either on a computer kiosk or on a tablet computer). Participants were 259 undergraduates from the University of Miami. Most (78-98%) students completed screening. More students were identified with risky alcohol use with the 5/4 (49%) than AUDIT (14%). On the 5/4, administration method was not linked to completion, 93% kiosk vs. 95% tablet, p = .554, but was related to identification as a risky alcohol user, 42% kiosk vs. 56% tablet, p = .033. On the AUDIT, administration method was significantly related to completion, 73% kiosk vs. 98% tablet, p < .001, and identification, 8% kiosk vs. 23% tablet, p = .003. Method of administration of the single item 5/4 binge drinking question was related to the a higher proportion of students identified with risky alcohol use when screened by a computer tablet, but not completion rates; the AUDIT method of administration was related to both completion and identification rates (higher rates with the tablet in both cases). Education of student health providers who make decisions about what screening tools to use in their centers and who interpret the results of alcohol screening in college health centers should consider the potential influence of administration method. Future research should examine the reasons that method of administration might influence screening results.

5.
Psychol Assess ; 31(9): 1154-1167, 2019 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31259571

ABSTRACT

Construct equivalence of measures across studies is necessary for synthesizing results when combining data in meta-analysis or integrative data analysis. We discuss several assumptions required for construct equivalence, and review methods using individual-level data and item response theory (IRT) analysis for detecting or adjusting for violations of these assumptions. We apply IRT to data from 7 measures of depressive symptoms for 4,283 youth from 16 randomized prevention trials. Findings indicate that these data violate assumptions of conditional independence. Bifactor IRT models find that depression measures contain substantial reporter variance, and indicate that a single common factor model would be substantially biased. Separate analyses of ratings by youth find stronger evidence for construct equivalence, but factor invariance across sex and age does not hold. We conclude that data synthesis studies employing measures of youth depression should analyze results separately by reporter, explore more complex approaches to integrate these different perspectives, and explore methods that adjust for sex and age differences in item functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).


Subject(s)
Depression/diagnosis , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Research Design , Adolescent , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Humans , Models, Theoretical , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Reproducibility of Results
6.
Appetite ; 140: 169-179, 2019 09 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31075325

ABSTRACT

The current family mealtime literature shows that assessments of the mealtime environment are typically self-report, yet few studies discuss validation techniques or report using validated scales. As such, the current analysis was conducted to validate one of the only published measures to assess the mealtime environment from the adolescent perspective. Specifically, the Childhood Family Mealtime Questionnaire (CFMQ) was evaluated in a sample of 280 overweight and obese Hispanic adolescents to address the need for a validated measure of the family mealtime environment in a demographic that is disproportionately affected by the current obesity epidemic. Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the optimal factor structure, reliability, and validity for a revised, abbreviated CFMQ are presented here. The concurrent validity of the CFMQ was evaluated using correlations between the factor structures and the previously used, culturally appropriate comparable measure of family functioning. Correlations were also computed between factor scores and obesogenic outcomes (fruit and vegetable intake, added sugar intake, and physical activity). Analyses produced a revised, abbreviated version that includes 22 items (reduced from a total of 69 items) and consists of the following 4 factors: family mealtime communication (5 items), family mealtime stress (7 items), appearance weight control (5 items), and mealtime structure (6 items). Cronbach's alphas are reported for reliability. When examining CFMQ concurrent validity with the family functioning latent variable, results showed the family mealtime communication subscale ranked highest. Additionally, the family mealtime communication subscale was associated with all three obesogenic outcomes. This abbreviated CFMQ may be a useful tool for those studying family mealtime environments and their influence on obesity and its associated lifestyle behaviors.


Subject(s)
Feeding Behavior/psychology , Hispanic or Latino/psychology , Obesity/psychology , Overweight/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires/standards , Adolescent , Child , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Feeding Behavior/ethnology , Female , Humans , Male , Meals/psychology , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results
7.
Prev Sci ; 20(7): 1114-1124, 2019 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31140021

ABSTRACT

In this article, we highlight the urgent public health need for prevention of heavy episodic drinking among underage Hispanic emerging adults in the USA. We outline the current state of binge drinking prevention programming and contrast it with the unique cultural, social, and developmental realities of this population using an ecodevelopmental framework (Szapocznik and Coatsworth 1999). Finally, we advance specific recommendations for the development and delivery of culturally tailored, multisystemic binge drinking prevention programs for underage Hispanic emerging adults.


Subject(s)
Binge Drinking/prevention & control , Hispanic or Latino , Underage Drinking/prevention & control , Adolescent , Adult , Culture , Female , Humans , Male , Social Environment , United States , Young Adult
8.
Prev Med ; 120: 85-99, 2019 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30610888

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this systematic review were to: 1) identify evidence-based youth (i.e., infancy, pre-school age, school age, and adolescence) mental and behavioral health disorder preventive interventions conducted in or offered by primary care settings, and 2) describe these interventions' characteristics, efficacy, and clinical involvement. Randomized controlled trials that targeted the prevention of mental or behavioral health outcomes for youth and had a connection to primary care were included. The PRISMA guidelines were utilized for two phases: 1) searching PubMed, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases in January 2017; and 2) searching United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Systematic Reviews in November 2017. The two phases revealed 504 and 58 potential articles, respectively. After removal of duplicates, screening of abstracts, and full-text reviews, 19 interventions (infancy: n = 2, pre-school age: n = 3, school age: n = 6, adolescence: n = 8) were included: 1) 10 interventions described in 17 articles from the databases, and 2) 9 interventions described in 11 articles from the USPSTF reviews. The included interventions capitalized on primary care settings as a natural entry point to engage youth and families into interventions without requiring a large amount of clinic involvement. Commonalities of efficacious interventions and recommendations for future research are discussed. The authors encourage primary care providers, mental and behavioral health providers, and/or public health researchers to continue developing and testing preventive interventions, or adapting existing interventions, to be implemented in primary care.


Subject(s)
Mental Disorders/prevention & control , Mental Health , Preventive Health Services/organization & administration , Primary Prevention/organization & administration , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Evidence-Based Medicine , Female , Health Services Needs and Demand , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Program Evaluation , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Risk Assessment , United States , Young Adult
9.
Prev Sci ; 20(1): 68-77, 2019 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29748900

ABSTRACT

While substance use and sexual risk behaviors among Hispanic youth continue to be public health concerns, few evidence-based preventive interventions are developed for and implemented with Hispanic/Latino youth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of eHealth Familias Unidas, an Internet adaptation of an evidence-based family intervention for Hispanics. A randomized controlled trial design (n = 230) was used to evaluate intervention effects on substance use and condomless sex among a sample of Hispanic eighth graders with behavioral problems. Participants were randomized to eHealth Familias Unidas (n = 113) or prevention as usual (n = 117) and assessed at baseline and 3 and 12 months post baseline. We trained mental health school personnel and community mental health professionals to recruit and deliver the Internet-based intervention with Hispanic families. It was hypothesized that, over time, eHealth Familias Unidas would be more efficacious than prevention as usual in reducing drug use (marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, and other drugs), prescription drug use, cigarette use, alcohol use, and condomless sex and that these changes would be mediated by family functioning. Significant intervention effects were found across time for drug use, prescription drug use, and cigarette use. While eHealth Familias Unidas positively affected family functioning, mediation effects were not found. This study demonstrated that family-based eHealth interventions can be efficacious among Hispanic populations when delivered in community settings.


Subject(s)
Family , Hispanic or Latino , Preventive Medicine , Telemedicine , Adolescent , Child , Evidence-Based Practice , Feasibility Studies , Female , Humans , Internet , Male , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Substance-Related Disorders/prevention & control
10.
Disaster Med Public Health Prep ; 13(1): 18-23, 2019 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30394256

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This pilot study aimed to assess the community needs and population health status for the low-income town of Punta Santiago, situated on the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico at the point where Hurricane Maria made landfall on September 20, 2017. METHODS: A cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey was conducted 6 months after the storm with a representative random sample of 74 households. The survey characterized population demographics and resident needs in relation to storm damage and disruption. The survey also assessed prevalence and symptom severity of major depression, generalized anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. RESULTS: Most of Punta Santiago was without electrical power and more than half of households sustained severe damage. Residents reported loss of jobs, decreased productivity, school closures, dependency on aid for basic necessities, increased risk for vector-borne diseases, unrelenting exposure to heat and humidity, and diminished health status. Two-thirds (66.2%) of the respondents had clinically significant symptom elevations for at least 1 of the 3 common mental disorders assessed: major depression, generalized anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Pilot survey results, along with other studies conducted in Punta Santiago, can be used to provide guidance for interventions with this community as well as with other low-income, storm-affected areas. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:18-23).


Subject(s)
Cyclonic Storms/statistics & numerical data , Health Services Needs and Demand/trends , Mental Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/epidemiology , Female , Health Services Needs and Demand/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Interviews as Topic/methods , Male , Pilot Projects , Prevalence , Psychometrics/instrumentation , Psychometrics/methods , Psychometrics/statistics & numerical data , Puerto Rico/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires
11.
Contemp Clin Trials ; 76: 64-71, 2019 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30453076

ABSTRACT

Family-based behavioral interventions are efficacious and effective in preventing drug use and sexual risk behaviors; unfortunately, they have not been evaluated and disseminated in pediatric primary care practice, where they can have a significant impact. There is an increased focus on integrating parenting interventions into primary care to reduce health disparities among ethnic minorities such as Hispanics. Although Hispanic youth demonstrate higher levels of drug use and sexual risk behaviors than their non-Hispanic counterparts, few parenting interventions are available for Hispanic youth, and none have been delivered specifically to Hispanic adolescents in primary care. Therefore, this manuscript describes the rationale and design of an Internet-based, family-centered, Hispanic-specific, evidence-based prevention intervention, eHealth Familias Unidas Primary Care. Hispanic adolescents (n = 456) and their care givers will be recruited from pediatric primary care clinics in South Florida and randomized to: eHealth Familias Unidas Primary Care or prevention as usual. The intervention will be delivered by trained interns, clinic volunteers, social workers, mental health counselors, students, and nurses. Outcomes will be measured at baseline and 6, 12, 24, and 36 months post-baseline. This study will determine whether the intervention, compared to prevention as usual, is effective in reducing drug use, unprotected sex, and STI incidence in Hispanic youth through the improvement of family functioning. Additionally, we will determine the cost effectiveness of delivering eHealth Familias Unidas within primary care settings. The effectiveness of eHealth Familias Unidas Primary Care will further inform the need to integrate effective behavioral health interventions into primary care settings.


Subject(s)
Family Health , Hispanic or Latino , Primary Health Care , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/prevention & control , Substance-Related Disorders/prevention & control , Telemedicine/methods , Unsafe Sex/prevention & control , Adolescent , Child , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Female , Humans , Male , Pediatrics , Risk-Taking , Sexual Behavior , Telemedicine/economics
12.
J Prim Prev ; 39(6): 529-553, 2018 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30291486

ABSTRACT

We describe the adaptation of Familias Unidas, an evidence-based substance use and sexual risk behavior intervention, for obesity prevention in Hispanic adolescents. Intervention developers and experts in pediatric obesity, exercise physiology, dietetics, and the local parks system provided input for changes. Hispanic families also provided input through a series of 21 focus groups conducted before, during, and after an initial pilot test of the adapted intervention. After transcribing audiotaped sessions, we used a general inductive approach and Dedoose qualitative software to derive themes. Results indicated the need for improved health-related family functioning, enhanced nutrition education and skill building, increased family engagement in physical activity, and stronger links between family and environmental supports. Parents who participated in the pilot test expressed high enthusiasm for hands-on nutrition training and reported improvements in family functioning. Adolescents liked outdoor physical activities but wanted parents to be more engaged in joint physical activity sessions. The adapted intervention maintains fidelity to Familias Unidas' core theoretical elements and overall structure, but also includes content focused on physical activity and nutrition, adolescent participation in physical activity sessions led by park coaches, and joint parent-adolescent participation in physical activity and nutrition skill-building activities.


Subject(s)
Health Promotion/methods , Hispanic or Latino , Pediatric Obesity/prevention & control , Adolescent , Adult , Evidence-Based Practice/methods , Family/ethnology , Family/psychology , Female , Focus Groups , Health Education/methods , Humans , Male , Nutritional Sciences/education , Parents , Pediatric Obesity/ethnology , Pilot Projects , Substance-Related Disorders/ethnology , Substance-Related Disorders/prevention & control , Unsafe Sex/ethnology , Unsafe Sex/prevention & control
13.
Prev Sci ; 19(Suppl 1): 1-5, 2018 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29368296

ABSTRACT

We introduce this supplemental issue of Prevention Science, which brings together a set of papers from leading investigators who have conducted trials testing whether intervention programs prevent adolescent depression. Using data from these trials, these papers explore a series of factors that might account for variation in intervention benefit, employing several novel methods for assessing effect heterogeneity. These studies follow two general paradigms: three papers report findings from single randomized preventive intervention trials, while the remaining papers develop and apply new methods for combining data from multiple studies to evaluate effect heterogeneity more broadly. Colleagues from NIMH and SAMHSA also provide commentaries on these studies. They conclude that synthesis of findings from multiple trials holds great promise for advancing the field, and progress will be accelerated if collaborative data sharing becomes the norm rather than the exception.


Subject(s)
Depression/prevention & control , Health Promotion , Adolescent , Humans , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
14.
Prev Sci ; 19(Suppl 1): 60-73, 2018 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28434055

ABSTRACT

Integrative Data Analysis (IDA) encompasses a collection of methods for data synthesis that pools participant-level data across multiple studies. Compared with single-study analyses, IDA provides larger sample sizes, better representation of participant characteristics, and often increased statistical power. Many of the methods currently available for IDA have focused on examining developmental changes using longitudinal observational studies employing different measures across time and study. However, IDA can also be useful in synthesizing across multiple randomized clinical trials to improve our understanding of the comprehensive effectiveness of interventions, as well as mediators and moderators of those effects. The pooling of data from randomized clinical trials presents a number of methodological challenges, and we discuss ways to examine potential threats to internal and external validity. Using as an illustration a synthesis of 19 randomized clinical trials on the prevention of adolescent depression, we articulate IDA methods that can be used to minimize threats to internal validity, including (1) heterogeneity in the outcome measures across trials, (2) heterogeneity in the follow-up assessments across trials, (3) heterogeneity in the sample characteristics across trials, (4) heterogeneity in the comparison conditions across trials, and (5) heterogeneity in the impact trajectories. We also demonstrate a technique for minimizing threats to external validity in synthesis analysis that may result from non-availability of some trial datasets. The proposed methods rely heavily on latent variable modeling extensions of the latent growth curve model, as well as missing data procedures. The goal is to provide strategies for researchers considering IDA.


Subject(s)
Data Analysis , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Validation Studies as Topic , Adolescent , Bias , Depression , Humans , Longitudinal Studies
15.
Prev Sci ; 19(Suppl 1): 74-94, 2018 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28013420

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the first findings of an integrative data analysis of individual-level data from 19 adolescent depression prevention trials (n = 5210) involving nine distinct interventions across 2 years post-randomization. In separate papers, several interventions have been found to decrease the risk of depressive disorders or elevated depressive/internalizing symptoms among youth. One type of intervention specifically targets youth without a depressive disorder who are at risk due to elevated depressive symptoms and/or having a parent with a depressive disorder. A second type of intervention targets two broad domains: prevention of problem behaviors, which we define as drug use/abuse, sexual risk behaviors, conduct disorder, or other externalizing problems, and general mental health. Most of these latter interventions improve parenting or family factors. We examined the shared and unique effects of these interventions by level of baseline youth depressive symptoms, sociodemographic characteristics of the youth (age, sex, parent education, and family income), type of intervention, and mode of intervention delivery to the youth, parent(s), or both. We harmonized eight different measures of depression utilized across these trials and used growth models to evaluate intervention impact over 2 years. We found a significant overall effect of these interventions on reducing depressive symptoms over 2 years and a stronger impact among those interventions that targeted depression specifically rather than problem behaviors or general mental health, especially when baseline symptoms were high. Implications for improving population-level impact are discussed.


Subject(s)
Depression/prevention & control , Health Promotion , Adolescent , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Data Analysis , Depression/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Male , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Parenting , Parents/education
16.
Prev Sci ; 19(Suppl 1): 49-59, 2018 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27318951

ABSTRACT

Prevention programs that strengthen parenting and family functioning have been found to reduce poor behavioral outcomes in adolescents, including substance use, HIV risk, externalizing and internalizing problems. However, there is evidence that not all youth benefit similarly from these programs. Familias Unidas is a family-focused intervention designed to prevent substance use and sexual risk among Hispanic youth and has recently demonstrated unanticipated reductions in internalizing symptoms for some youth. This paper examines variation in intervention response for internalizing symptoms using individual-level data pooled across four distinct Familias Unidas trials: (1) 266 eighth grade students recruited from the general school population; (2) 160 ninth grade students from the general school population; (3) 213 adolescents with conduct, aggression, and/or attention problems; and (4) 242 adolescents with a delinquency history. Causal inference growth mixture modeling suggests a three-class model. The two largest classes represent youth with low (60 %) and medium (27 %) internalizing symptoms at baseline, and both intervention and control participants show reductions in internalizing symptoms. The third class (13 %) represents youth with high levels of baseline internalizing symptoms who remain at steady levels of internalizing symptoms when exposed to the intervention, but who experience an increase in symptoms under the control condition. Female gender, low baseline levels of parent-adolescent communication, and older age were associated with membership in the high-risk class. These synthesis analyses involving a large sample of youth with varying initial risk levels represent a further step toward strengthening our knowledge of preventive intervention response and improving preventive interventions.


Subject(s)
Anxiety/prevention & control , Depression/prevention & control , Health Promotion , Hispanic or Latino/psychology , Parenting , Program Evaluation , Adolescent , Conduct Disorder/prevention & control , Female , Humans , Juvenile Delinquency/prevention & control , Male , Preventive Health Services
17.
Prev Sci ; 19(5): 630-641, 2018 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27704326

ABSTRACT

The Familias Unidas intervention is an efficacious family-based preventive intervention for reducing substance use and other health risks among Hispanic youth. A current randomized controlled trial (RCT) is examining this intervention's efficacy when delivered via the Internet (eHealth). eHealth interventions can overcome logistical barriers to participation, yet there is limited information about the feasibility of these interventions, especially among ethnic minorities. This paper examines participation and predictors of participation in the eHealth Familias Unidas intervention in a sample of 113 Hispanic families whose adolescent had behavioral problems. Analyses examined multidimensional ways of characterizing participation, including the following: (1) total intervention participation, (2) initial engagement (participating in at least one of the first three intervention sessions), (3) completing the pre-recorded, eHealth parent group sessions, and (4) participating in the live, facilitator-led, eHealth family sessions. Participation in this eHealth intervention was comparable to, and in most cases higher than, previous, face-to-face Familias Unidas interventions. High levels of baseline family stress were associated with lower initial engagement and lower family session participation. Greater parental Hispanicism was associated with more participation in eHealth parent group sessions and across the total intervention. Higher levels of baseline effective parenting, in other words less intervention need, were significantly associated with lower levels of total intervention participation and lower levels of family session participation. Implications for preventive interventions delivered via Internet are discussed.


Subject(s)
Community Participation/trends , Parenting , Preventive Medicine , Telemedicine , Adolescent , Adolescent Behavior , Family Relations , Female , Forecasting , Hispanic or Latino , Humans , Male
18.
J Child Fam Stud ; 26(5): 1266-1273, 2017 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28970737

ABSTRACT

Compared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic adolescents in the U.S. report higher rates of several mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) problems such as substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and internalizing and externalizing problems. There is evidence of common pathways in the development of MEB problems with certain subgroups of Hispanic adolescents being at greater risk. In the present article, we report analysis of baseline data for 959 Hispanic adolescents who participated in one of two randomized controlled trials evaluating a family-based preventive intervention. Utilizing latent class analysis, we identified subgroups of Hispanic adolescents based on socio-ecological risk and protective factors (e.g., parent-adolescent communication, parental involvement in school). Three distinct socio-ecological risk subgroups (high, medium, and low risk) were identified and exhibited significant differences from each other across a majority of socio-ecological risk and protective factors. Adolescents in higher socio-ecological risk subgroups reported greater MEB problems across all outcomes. Individual comparisons revealed significant differences between the low socio-ecological risk group and both the medium and high socio-ecological risk group in lifetime alcohol use, smoking, and sex, as well as internalizing and externalizing problems. Implications for intervention include focusing on specific risk subgroups and targeting shared risk and protective factors rather than specific MEB outcomes.

19.
Health Promot Pract ; 18(4): 526-533, 2017 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28443345

ABSTRACT

Research has demonstrated that a number of evidence-based programs can be effectively implemented in different community settings, such as schools, to target Hispanic youth and their families; however, successful implementation of such programs represents a challenge for practitioners. This article describes experiences and strategies associated with recruiting, training, and supervising school mental health professionals in the school-based implementation of an evidence-based, family-centered prevention program for Hispanic families. School mental health professionals were recruited and given intensive training, weekly supervision for adherence monitoring, and ongoing technical assistance, in addition to intervention manuals and materials. We emphasize how strategies based on the prevention program itself were used to recruit, engage, and train school mental health professionals to deliver a family-based evidence-based program, blending research and practice in a large public school system. Implications of lessons learned are discussed, as well as the specific strategies to overcome challenges when engaging and training community partners in delivering a manualized intervention with rigorous adherence to the program.


Subject(s)
Health Personnel/organization & administration , Health Promotion/organization & administration , Hispanic or Latino , Mental Health Services/organization & administration , School Health Services/organization & administration , Adolescent , Child , Evidence-Based Medicine , Family/ethnology , Female , Health Personnel/education , Humans , Male
20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28273862

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the Internet adaptation of an evidenced-based intervention for Hispanic families, eHealth Familias Unidas, and explores whether an Internet-based format is feasible and acceptable to Hispanic families. Core intervention components from the evidence-based intervention, Familias Unidas, were transposed into a video format and edited for content. Additionally, interactive exercises and a soap opera series were incorporated to reinforce intervention content and optimize participant engagement and retention. To understand the feasibility and acceptability of eHealth Familias Unidas, we conducted a pilot study and examined findings from: (1) session completion rates for both e-parent group sessions and family sessions (n = 23 families); and (2) qualitative data collected from Hispanic parents (n = 29) that received the eHealth intervention. Engagement and attendance in the intervention showed that 83% of families engaged in the intervention and that there was an overall session completion rate of 78%. Qualitative interviews were conducted mid and post intervention with a combined total of 29 participants. A general inductive approach was used to derive themes from the collected data. Overall, parents expressed positive feedback in regards to the intervention and stated that there were multiple lessons learned from participating in eHealth Familias Unidas. Findings indicate that an Internet-based family intervention is not only feasible and acceptable for Hispanic families, but also offers a viable option to ameliorate barriers to participation and implementation of preventive interventions.


Subject(s)
Evidence-Based Practice/methods , Hispanic or Latino/statistics & numerical data , Internet , Substance-Related Disorders/prevention & control , Unsafe Sex/prevention & control , Adolescent , Family , Female , Humans , Male , Pilot Projects , Risk-Taking
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