Prevention science: family evidence-based, adolescents and drug use

background - One of major cause of disability is mental illness (WHO, 2013). Evidence-based family programs have been considered one of the most effective methods for reducing mental health and substance abuse disorders in youth. A Cochrane review (Foxcroft et al., 2003) concluded that the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is one of the most effective substance abuse prevention program and also cost effective. Aim and methods - Determine if the family Portuguese SFP outcomes are as effective as the original SFP. The outcomes were compared using data from Portuguese families (n=41) and SFP international norms using a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control 2 group pre-and post-test design. Standardized test scales were used. A 2x2 ANOVA produced the outcomes including p-values and effect sizes. Results - According to original SFP norms, statistically significant positive results (p ≤ .05) were found for 16 (or 76.2%) of the 21 outcomes measured and medium to large effect sizes, including family outcomes for Portuguese families. Conclusion - evidence-based family programs are a strong and robust intervention strategy to prevent family risk factors and promote protective factors.Resumo: introdução - A doença mental é uma das principais causas de incapacidade (WHO, 2013). As intervenções familiares, baseadas na evidência científica, constituem-se como estratégias eficazes, na prevenção de doenças mentais e uso de substâncias psicoativas na adolescência. A revisão da Cochrane (Foxcroft et al., 2003; 2012) concluiu que o Strengthening Families Program (SFP) é um dos programas, com um rácio custo-benefício positivo, mais eficaz na prevenção do consumo de drogas. Objetivo e métodos - Determinar se os resultados da categoria família na amostra portuguesa são tão positivos quanto os originais. A amostra incluiu famílias portuguesas e famílias que participaram no SFP original, utilizando um plano quasi-experimental, com desenho de pré/pós-teste (2 grupos) com grupo de controlo não equivalente. Aplicou-se uma bateria de instrumentos estandardizada. Utilizou-se uma ANOVA 2x2, incluindo os valores de p e a magnitude do efeito. Resultados - À semelhança dos resultados da versão original do SFP, encontram-se resultados estatisticamente significativos (p ≤ .05) em 16 (ou 72%) dos 21 outcomes medidos e magnitude do efeito médio- grande, incluindo os outcomes da família. Conclusões - Os programas familiares, baseados na evidência científica, constituem uma forte e potencial estratégia na prevenção de fatores de risco e promoção de fatores protetores na família

Effectiveness of a culturally adapted strengthening families program 12-16 years for high-risk Irish families

ManuscriptBACKGROUND: Evidence-based programs (EBPs) targeting effective family skills are the most cost effective for improving adolescent behavioural health. Cochrane Reviews have found Strengthening Families Program (SFP) to be the most effective substance abuse prevention intervention. Standardized cultural adaption processes resulted in successful outcomes in 26 countries. OBJECTIVE: To promote wide-scale implementation and positive outcomes in Ireland, a unique model of inter-agency collaboration was developed plus guidelines for cultural adaptation with fidelity. METHODS: 250 high-risk youth and families were recruited to complete SFP and its parent questionnaire. A quasi-experimental 2 group pre- and post-test design was employed where the norms were the comparison group. A 2 x 2 analysis of variance (ANOVA) generated the outcome tables including p-values and Cohen's d effect sizes. Evaluation feedback was used to improve outcomes the next year. RESULTS: All 21 measured outcomes had statistically significant positive results. Larger effect sizes were found for the Irish families than the USA families (d. = .57 vs. .48 for youth outcomes, d. = .73 vs. .65 for parenting and d. = .76 vs. .70 for family outcomes). Overt and covert aggression, criminality and depression decreased more in Irish youth, but the USA youth improved more in social skills. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that SFP 12-16 is quite effective in reducing behavioural health problems in Irish adolescents, improving family relationships and reducing substance abuse. Additionally, the Irish interagency collaboration model is a viable solution to recruitment, retention and staffing in rural communities where finding five skilled professionals to implement SFP can be difficult

Strengthening Families Programme (SFP 12-16): year 3 evaluation report.

The Ballymun Local Drugs Task Force in Ballymun, Dublin, Ireland has implemented an evidence-based program as part of a locally based strategy aimed at the prevention of substance abuse and juvenile delinquency in youth and to improve the parenting skills of parents of high-risk adolescents. Based on assessed community needs and risk factors for substance abuse, the evidence-based program chosen to be implemented was the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) for families with high risk adolescent ages 12 to 16 years old. The Strengthening Families Programme in Ballymun is funded and managed by Ballymun Local Drugs Task Force and is supported and delivered by local statutory, community and voluntary agencies. The Ballymun Local Drugs Task Force is funded through the Irish government

Effectiveness of culturally adapted Strengthening Families Programme 6-11 years among Portuguese families

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the outcomes from the Portuguese Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) with those from other countries to see if they are equally effective despite the new context. SFP was selected for cultural adaptation because comparative effectiveness reviews find that SFP is the most effective parenting and family intervention (Foxcroft et al., 2003, 2012). Standardised cultural adaptations of SFP have resulted in successful outcomes in 35 countries. Design/methodology/approach – The outcomes for the SFP six to 11 years Portuguese families (n ¼ 41) were compared to the SFP six to 11 years international norms (n ¼ 1,600) using a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control two group pre- and post-test design. A 2×2 ANOVA generated the outcome tables including p-values and Cohen’s d effect sizes. Standardised test scales were used and measured 21 parenting, family and child risk and protective factors. Findings – Statistically significant positive results (po0.05) were found for 16 or 76.2 per cent of the 21 outcomes measured for Portuguese families. The Portuguese effect sizes were similar to the SFP international norms for improvements in the five parenting scales (d ¼ 0.61 vs 0.65), five family scales (d ¼ 0.68 vs 0.70) and seven children’s scales (d ¼ 0.48 vs 0.48) despite these norms having larger effect sizes than the USA norms. Hence, the cultural adaptation did not diminish the outcomes and SFP Portuguese families can benefit substantially from SFP participation. Originality/value – A Portuguese culturally adapted version of SFP had never been developed or evaluated; hence, this paper reports original findings.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Guidelines on drug prevention and treatment for girls and women

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Prevention as Treatment: Enhancing Resilience in High- Risk Children

This chapter reviews the application of treatment methods in prevention, with an emphasis on familybased substance abuse, delinquency, and child maltreatment. The goal of prevention is to increase resilience in high-risk children. Considerable overlap exists between evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions, including their etiological and intervention theories, cognitive behavioral change methods and outcome objectives. Also included is the Institute of Medicinespectrum of treatment disorders, a review of prevention and treatment intervention theories, and methods used to design effective family interventions, with an emphasis on family systems, social ecology and resilience theories including the author’s Transactional Framework of Resilience model and the Strengthening Families Program. Lastly, this chapter covers the applications of clinical techniques to improve resilience characteristics and processes and places evidence-based prevention programs methods within this framework and details their similarity to treatment. Digital technology (e.g., DVDs, Web, smart phones, television, etc.) is recommended to reduce intervention costs and “go-to-scale” to have a greater public health impact in promoting resilience in children.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effectiveness of a culturally adapted strengthening families program 12–16 years for high-risk Irish families.

Background : Evidence-based programs (EBPs) targeting effective family skills are the most cost effective for improving adolescent behavioural health. Cochrane Reviews have found the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) to be the most effective substance abuse prevention intervention. Standardized cultural adaptation processes resulted in successful outcomes in several countries. Objective : To promote wide-scale implementation and positive outcomes in Ireland, a unique model of inter-agency collaboration was developed plus guidelines for cultural adaptation with fidelity. Methods : 250 high-risk youth and families were recruited to complete SFP and its parent questionnaire. A quasi-experimental 2 group pre- and post test design was employed where the norms were the comparison group. A 2 9 2 analysis of variance (ANOVA) generated the outcome tables including p values and Cohen’s d effect sizes. Evaluation feedback was used to improve outcomes the next year. Results : All 21 measured outcomes had statistically significant positive results. Larger effect sizes were found for the Irish families than the USA families (d = 0.57 vs. 0.48 for youth outcomes, d = 0.73 vs. 0.65 for parenting and d = 0.76 vs. 0.70 for family outcomes). Overt and covert aggression, criminality and depression decreased more in Irish youth, but the USA youth improved more in social skills. Conclusions : This study suggests that SFP 12–16 is quite effective in reducing behavioural health problems in Irish adolescents, improving family relationships and reducing substance abuse. Additionally, the Irish interagency collaboration model is a viable solution to recruitment, retention and staffing in rural communities where finding five skilled professionals to implement SFP can be difficult

Cultural and Gender Adaptations of Evidence Based Family Interventions

This chapter will review culturally and gender-adapted evidence-based family prevention and intervention programs. The growing ethnic populations in the USA and other Western countries have created the need for the development and evaluation of culturally adapted programs. The rapid spread worldwide of Western youth culture has also made effective parenting more critical to youth outcomes in non-Western cultures, requiring an extension of the evidence base for family programs to include populations in Europe, Asia, and Africainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio