Efficacy of a Culturally Based Parenting Intervention: Strengthening Open Communication Between Mexican-Heritage Parents and Adolescent Children

• Published in: Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research 2012-12, Vol.3 (4), p.296-307
• Main Authors: Williams, Lela Rankin, Ayers, Stephanie L., Garvey, Meghan M., Marsiglia, Flavio F., González Castro, Felipe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acculturation; Adolescents; Communication models; Curricula; Hispanics; Modeling; Parent child communication; Parenting; Parents; Social work
• ISSN: 1948-822X; 2334-2315; 1948-822X
• DOI: 10.5243/jsswr.2012.18

This article presents the results of an initial efficacy trial of a parenting intervention,Familias: Preparando la Nueva Generación(FPNG), used to strengthen parenting practices, specifically, open family communication. Using community-based participatory research, including stakeholder involvement, theFPNGcurriculum was developed, evaluated for feasibility, and revised to complement the classroom-basedkeepin’ it REALyouth substance-use prevention program.FPNGfocuses on family influences that characterize Mexican-heritage youth and families, including the impact of acculturation. The 9 middle schools were block-randomized into 3 groups: parents and youth (PY), youth only (Y), and control (C) conditions. Parents of 7th grade youth (N= 393, 82.8% mothers) completed self-report surveys at baseline and immediately following the intervention. Structural equation model analyses confirmed that PY parents reported significantly greater levels of open family communication at the follow-up compared with Y parents; C parents were not significantly different from Y parents at follow-up. The inclusion of parents in adolescent-focused preventive interventions might increase the effect size of an original and efficacious youth prevention intervention.