Prevention Works!

Parenting As Prevention: Developing Programs That Work

Prevention programs that include parents and other caregiving adults are often effective deterrents to youth substance use. The following strategies can help planners develop effective programs that make a difference for both parents and youth.

Know the Target Population. It is critical for prevention planners to acknowledge the unique qualities of today’s families and develop programs accordingly. Research shows that prevention strategies, especially those for families, fall within three categories. These include universal interventions that target efforts toward the general population; selective interventions for at-risk families; and indicated prevention programs that address the multiple risk factors exhibited by some families, such as school failure, substance use, sexual abuse, or severe neglect. By matching the type of intervention with the needs of the target population, prevention planners help to maximize program success from the very beginning.

Determine the Program Message. Special consideration should be given to the message or purpose of the prevention effort. Defining a clear message--or program goal--provides a means to measure and evaluate program success during implementation and follow-up phases. One family-oriented message might highlight how parents and other caregiving adults can model substance-free lifestyles for youth.

Incorporate Key Elements in the Program Design. Regardless of which intervention planners pursue, there are critical strategies that help ensure program success. A family-focused program should:

• Provide sufficient intensity and length to fully address a range of family-related concerns. High-risk families may need considerable time and support before they are capable of making changes; for example, they may need more sessions.
• Meet individual family needs. Programs tailored to specific family needs often prove the most beneficial and cost effective in the long run.
• Match the developmental stages of the child. Parenting involves different demands and expectations at all phases of a child’s life, and parent training should provide insights based on the unique challenges of each stage in a child’s development.
• Be culturally relevant and easily understood. Program materials may be designed to reflect the ethnicity and diversity of potential audiences so that the program is effective for all target populations. In addition, program materials may be designed to meet the appropriate reading and conceptual levels of the audience.

This Alert is the second in a series of three that discuss enhancing parents’ role as the first line of defense in successful prevention efforts. The final Alert will focus on model programs that have been successful in providing positive results for parents and children.

Sources: Karol L. Kumpfer, J.F. Alexander, L. McDonald, and D. Olds, Family-focused substance abuse prevention: what has been learned from other fields, 1998; Karol L. Kumpfer, "Strengthening America's families: promising parenting strategies for delinquency prevention." Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 1993; Parenting Is Prevention Resource Manual, 1998. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, CSAP.

To receive a complimentary copy of this PreventionAlert, call SAMSHA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) @ 1-800-729-6686, TDD 1-800-487-4889 (for the hearing impaired.) PREVENTIONAlert is supported by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and may be copied without permission with appropriate citation. For information about PREVENTIONAlert, please contact CSAP by phone (301) 443-0581 or e-mail gensley@samhsa.gov