The Strong African American Families–Teen Trial: Rationale, Design, Engagement Processes, and Family-Specific Effects

Abstract

This study addresses two limitations in the literature on family-centered intervention programs for adolescents: ruling out nonspecific factors that may explain program effects and engaging parents into prevention programs. The Rural African American Families Health project is a randomized, attention controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of the Strong African American Families–Teen (SAAF–T) program, a family-centered risk-reduction intervention for rural African American adolescents. Rural African American families (n = 502) with a 10th-grade student were assigned randomly to receive SAAF–T or a similarly structured, family-centered program that focused on health and nutrition. Families participated in audio computer-assisted self-interviews at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Program implementation procedures yielded a design with equivalent doses, 5 sessions of family-centered intervention programming for families in each condition. Of eligible families screened for participation, 76% attended 4 or 5 sessions of the program. Consistent with our primary hypotheses, SAAF–T youth, compared to attention control youth, demonstrated higher levels of protective family management skills, a finding that cannot be attributed to nonspecific factors such as aggregating families in a structured, interactive setting.

Racial Microstressors, Racial Self-Concept, and Depressive Symptoms Among Male African Americans During the Transition to Adulthood

“…Examples of efficacious interventions that target racial pride include the Strong African American Families programs for adolescents (Kogan et al 2012). These programs capitalize on parental involvement to increase active racial socialization and family support for the development of a positive racial self-concept.…”

“…Youth were enrolled when they were 16 years of age; data were collected at mean ages of 16.0, 16.4, 17.6, 18.6, and 19.7 years. Data were collected as part of a family-based prevention study (Kogan et al 2012). Because the present study does not focus on intervention efficacy, assignment to the prevention or control condition was controlled in all data analyses.…”

“…An index was formed based on the number of socioeconomic risk factors that caregivers reported at Wave 1 on a household demographic and economic hardship measure (Kogan 2012). The risk factors assessed were family poverty based on federal guidelines, caregiver unemployment, receipt of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, caregiver single-parent status, caregiver education less than high school graduation, and caregiver-reported inadequacy of family income.…”

Long-Term Effects of Staying Connected with Your Teen® on Drug Use Frequency at Age 20

“…The protocols for the interaction tasks and SDM-OCS were informed by a variety of previously developed family coding systems (Antony, Nelson, McMahon, & Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 1996; Crnic & Greenberg, 1990; Dishion et al, 1987; Eyberg & Robinson, 1983; Hops et al, 1990; Kogan et al, 2012; McMahon & Estes, 1993; Melby et al, 1998; Rusby, Estes, & Dishion, 1991). Interactions were videotaped in the families’ homes.…”

Dopamine Receptor Gene D4 Polymorphisms and Early Sexual Onset: Gender and Environmental Moderation in a Sample of African-American Youth

“…Across projects, youth age at baseline varied based on the goals of the individuals projects. Youth provided data beginning in 6 th grade (age 11) in three projects [22–24], beginning in 10 th grade (age 15) in one project [25], and beginning in 12 th grade (age 17) in one project [26]. All self-report data were collected in participants’ homes by African American research staff using either researcher-administered or self-administered computer-assisted interviews.…”