Pathways to Preventing Substance Use Among Youth in Foster Care.

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychology
• Substance Abuse Prevention
• Family Therapy

Background:

• Substance use problems are common in foster youth, with significant long-term consequences.
• Existing prevention programs lack specific evaluation for foster youth populations and gender differences.
• Family-based interventions are crucial for addressing behavioral health in vulnerable youth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the KEEP SAFE program in preventing substance use among foster youth.
• To examine the mediating roles of caregiver-youth relationships and deviant peer associations.
• To assess gender comparability in the intervention's direct and indirect effects.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 259 foster youth (ages 11-17) and their caregivers.
• 18-month follow-up assessing substance use, caregiver-youth relationships, and peer associations.
• Statistical analysis to test hypothesized mediation pathways and gender differences.

Main Results:

• The KEEP SAFE intervention significantly reduced substance use at 18 months post-baseline.
• Improved caregiver-youth relationships (6 months) and reduced deviant peer associations (12 months) mediated the intervention's effect on substance use.
• Minimal gender differences were observed in the intervention's direct and mediating effects.

Conclusions:

• The KEEP SAFE program is effective in reducing substance use in foster youth.
• Strengthening caregiver relationships and reducing deviant peer affiliations are key mechanisms for prevention.
• The program demonstrates comparable efficacy for both genders, highlighting its broad applicability.