Opportunity Costs and Financial Incentives for Hispanic Youth Participating in a Family-Based HIV and Substance Use Preventive Intervention

This paper presents results from a pilot study of the synergies between the opportunity costs incurred by research participants, participant compensation, and program attendance in a family-based substance use and HIV preventive intervention for Hispanic adolescents in Miami-Dade County, Florida. To estimate parent/caretaker cost per session and cost for the duration of the intervention, we administered the Caretaker Drug Abuse Treatment Cost Analysis Program (Caretaker DATCAP) to a random sample of 34 families who participated in a recent clinical trial of Familias Unidas . The total opportunity cost per parent/caretaker was under $40 per group session, under$30 per family session, and just over $570 for the duration of the intervention. Participants were compensated between$40 and $50 per session and attended more than 79cost of approximately$30–40 per intervention session for which they were adequately compensated. Attendance was very good overall for this group (>79%) and significantly higher than attendance in a comparable uncompensated study group from another recent Familias Unidas trial that targeted similar youth. Findings suggest that incentives should be considered important for future implementations of Familias Unidas and similar family-based interventions that target minority and low-SES populations

Parenting and Neighborhood Predictors of Youth Problem Behaviors Within Hispanic Families

This study examined the influence of family and neighborhood contexts on Hispanic youth problem behavior. The effects of parents' perceptions of neighborhood context and parenting practices on problem behavior were examined in 167 one-parent (n = 75) and two-parent (n = 92) families. Results from multigroup path analyses showed significant main effects of perceived neighborhood context on parenting practices and on youth problem behavior and significant main effects of parenting practices on problem behavior in one- and two-parent families. Neighborhood context was indirectly related to problem behavior through positive parenting in one-parent families. The results demonstrate that parenting is embedded within greater ecological contexts and show that their relations with youth can vary across family structure. Implications for further longitudinal investigation and prevention research are discussed. [Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Inc., copyright holder.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Hispanic Immigrants After the September 11th Attacks: Severity and Relationship to Previous Traumatic Exposure

This study examined posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity in Hispanic immigrants exposed to September 11th attacks through television, ascertained the relationship between previous traumatic exposure and September 11th–related symptoms, and investigated the effect of television exposure of the attacks on symptoms. A total of 110 Hispanic immigrant adults (22 males, 88 females) living more than 1,000 miles from the attacks completed measures of natural disaster exposure, war violence exposure, and September 11th–related PTSD symptoms. Of the sample, 14% self-reported September 11th–related PTSD symptoms consistent with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) diagnosis. Previous exposure to natural disasters and war violence was significantly related to September 11th–related PTSD symptomatology. Individuals with symptoms consistent with a DSM-IV PTSD diagnosis reported twice as much war violence exposure and one-and-a-half times as much natural disaster exposure as those not meeting criteria. Results are discussed regarding potential public health implications

Correlates of Early Alcohol and Drug Use in Hispanic Adolescents: Examining the Role of ADHD with Comorbid Conduct Disorder, Family, School, and Peers

This study examined correlates of early adolescent alcohol and drug use in a community sample of 217 eighth-grade adolescents with behavior problems and from Hispanic/Latino immigrant families. Structural equation modeling was used to examine relationships of multiple contexts (e.g., family, school, and peers) to alcohol and drug use. Results suggest that conduct disorder in youth with high levels of hyperactivity symptoms, poor school functioning, and peer alcohol and drug use was directly related to early adolescent alcohol and drug use. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder with comorbid conduct disorder and family functioning was indirectly related to early alcohol and drug use through poor school functioning and through peer alcohol and drug use. Results are discussed in terms of possible targets for interventions to prevent alcohol and drug use in Hispanic adolescents

Psychometric properties of an abbreviated Childhood Family Mealtime Questionnaire among overweight and obese Hispanic adolescents

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

Ecodevelopmental × Intrapersonal Risk Substance Use and Sexual Behavior in Hispanic Adolescents

Hispanic adolescents are a rapidly growing population and are highly vulnerable to substance abuse and HIV infection. Many interventions implemented thus far have been “one size fits all” models that deliver the same dosage and sequence of modules to all participants. To more effectively prevent substance use and HIV in Hispanic adolescents, different risk profiles must be considered. This study's purpose is to use intrapersonal and ecodevelopmental risk processes to identify Hispanic adolescent subgroups and to compare substance use rates and sexual behavior by risk subgroup. The results indicate that a larger proportion with high ecodevelopmental risk (irrespective of the intrapersonal risk for substance use) report lifetime and past 90-day cigarette and illicit drug use. In contrast, a larger proportion with high intrapersonal risk for unsafe sex (irrespective of ecodevelopmental risk) report early sex initiation and sexually transmitted disease incidence. Implications for intervention development are discussed in terms of these Hispanic adolescent subgroups