Development of a skill training program for parents of substance-abusing adolescents

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Psychology
• Addiction Research

Background:

• Parenting adolescents with substance use disorders presents unique challenges.
• Effective coping strategies are crucial for parental well-being and adolescent recovery.
• Existing interventions may not adequately address the specific needs of these families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a coping skill training program for parents of substance-abusing adolescents.
• To assess the program's impact on parental coping, functioning, and adolescent substance use.
• To utilize a behavioral-analytic model for program design.

Main Methods:

• A behavioral-analytic model was employed to identify problematic parental situations and effective responses.
• A situational role-play measure of parental coping was developed.
• Parents of adolescents with substance use disorders were randomly assigned to skill training or a delayed treatment group.

Main Results:

• The skill training program led to significant improvements in parental coping skills compared to the delayed treatment group.
• Parents in the skill training group reported moderate to large improvements in their own functioning.
• Enhanced family communication and reduced adolescent marijuana use were observed in the skill training group.

Conclusions:

• Coping skill training is an effective intervention for parents of substance-abusing adolescents.
• The program positively impacts parent functioning, family dynamics, and adolescent substance use.
• Behavioral-analytic approaches are valuable for developing targeted parenting interventions.