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Parent participation in an adolescent drug abuse prevention program
1Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, USA.
Journal of Drug Education
|January 1, 1995
Summary
Parental participation in school drug prevention programs is low. Students with non-participating parents show higher substance use and risk behaviors, suggesting a need for improved parent engagement strategies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Adolescent Health
- Substance Abuse Prevention
Background:
- Parental involvement is crucial for effective school-based drug prevention programs.
- Understanding participation barriers and impacts is essential for program improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess parental participation in a school-based drug prevention program.
- To compare outcomes between students with participating and non-participating parents.
- To inform future strategies for parent engagement in drug prevention.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 1761 seventh-grade families on parent-child relationships and substance use.
- Assessed participation in evening parent-targeted drug prevention sessions.
- Compared student outcomes based on parental survey completion and session attendance.
Main Results:
- Only 10% of families attended evening sessions.
- Students whose parents did not complete surveys showed higher tobacco use, substance-using friends, risk-taking behaviors, and lower GPAs.
- Parents attending sessions had lower tobacco use and more time with children.
- Non-participating parents exhibited higher rates of tobacco and alcohol use.
Conclusions:
- Parent-targeted programs may face low engagement and potentially stigmatize attendees.
- Programs may not effectively reach high-risk families.
- Future interventions require strategies to overcome participation barriers and enhance engagement.