Reducing adolescents' growth in substance use and delinquency: randomized trial effects of a parent-training prevention intervention

Prev Sci. 2003 Sep;4(3):203-12. doi: 10.1023/a:1024653923780.

Abstract

The relationship between growth in adolescent substance use and delinquency was examined in a longitudinal, randomized controlled study of the Preparing for the Drug Free Years Program (PDFY), a universal family-focused prevention intervention. Latent growth curve modeling was used to analyze 5 waves of data collected from 429 rural adolescents. Results showed that adolescents assigned to the PDFY intervention condition had a slower rate of linear increase over time in both substance use and delinquency compared with adolescents assigned to the control condition. Moreover, pretest level of delinquency was a reliable, positive predictor of growth in substance use, whereas pretest level of substance use did not predict growth in delinquency.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Family
  • Humans
  • Juvenile Delinquency / prevention & control*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Parenting
  • Preventive Health Services*
  • Program Evaluation
  • Substance-Related Disorders / prevention & control*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires