Participation in "parents who care": predicting program initiation and exposure in two different program formats

Area of Science:

• Adolescent and family psychology
• Public health and prevention science
• Program evaluation and dissemination

Background:

• Universal prevention programs aim to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors in youth.
• Program engagement and exposure are critical for achieving desired outcomes but can be challenging to attain.
• Understanding predictors of participation and exposure across different program formats is essential for effective dissemination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine predictors of participation and exposure for two formats of a universal prevention program: parent and adolescent group (PAG) and self-administered (SA).
• To identify factors influencing program initiation and exposure levels in diverse family populations.
• To inform strategies for improving the reach and effectiveness of prevention programs.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 225 families of 8th-grade students, balanced for race and gender.
• Random assignment to either the PAG or SA format of the Parents Who Care program.
• Logistic and hierarchical regression analyses to assess participation and exposure predictors.

Main Results:

• The SA format demonstrated significantly greater program initiation compared to the PAG format.
• Parental high-risk behavior was the sole predictor of lower exposure in the SA format.
• Demographic factors, such as African American race, predicted lower exposure in the PAG format.

Conclusions:

• Most previously identified barriers to participation did not significantly affect initiation or exposure in either program format.
• The SA format shows promise for increasing program participation, particularly among hard-to-reach families.
• Findings offer valuable insights for program designers and practitioners on tailoring dissemination strategies for prevention materials.