Family Effectiveness Training: An Intervention to Prevent Drug Abuse and Problem Behaviors in Hispanic Adolescents

Abstract

Evidence ispresentedfor the efficacy of Family Effectiveness Training (FET). FET is a prevention/intervention modality designedfor use with Hispanicfamilies of preadolescents who are "at risk" for future drug abuse. Family Effectiveness Training targets a constellation offactors that putfamilies at riskfor developing a drug abusing adolescent. Intervention strategies target existing maladaptive family interactions, and prevention strategies target two common stressors in Hispanic families: intergenerational and intercultural conflicts. Seventy-nine Hispanic families meeting the criteria for "at-risk"families constituted the subject population. Families were randomly assigned to either an FET condition or to Minimum Contact Control Condition. A Solomon Four Group Design was used to test the effects of both the intervention and the assessment procedures. Three sets of analyses were conducted: (I)for all subjects, 2 X 2 ANOVAs investigating the effects of intervention and preassessment on posttest outcome scores; and (2) for subjects with preassessment, ANCO VAs investigating the effects of FETand control conditions on outcome, using preassessment scores as covariates; and (3) repeated measures ANO VAs investigating the long-term impact of FETfrom pre to post tofollow-up. There were no significant effects due to preassessmentfor any of the variables measured. Families in the FET condition showed significantly greater improvement than did control families on independent measures of structuralfamilyfunctioning, problem behaviors as reported by parents, and on a self-administered measure of child self-concept. FET impact was generally maintained at the time of a six-month follow-up.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Austin, G. A., Macari, M. A., & Lettieri, D. J. (Eds.). (1979). Research Issues Update, 1978 (Research Issues 22). NIDA, ADM 79-808.

Green, J. (1979). Overview of adolescent drug use. In G. M. Beschner & A. S. Friedman (Eds.), Youth drug abuse. Lexington, MA: D. C. Heath.

Haley, J. (1973). Uncommon therapy. New York: W. W. Norton.

Hanna, N. C. , Spencer, F. , & Quay, H. (1981). The reliability and concurrent validity of the Spanish translation of the Behavior Problem Checklist. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 3, 309-414.

Hervis, O. , & Szapocznik, J. (1986). Un enfoque estrategico y estructural a terapia familiar [A strategic and structural focus to family therapy]. Washington, DC: Pan American Health Organization.

Jessor, R. (1983). Adolescent problem drinking: Psychosocial aspects and developmental outcomes. Paper presented at the Alcohol Research Seminar, NIAA.

Jessor, R. (1985). Adolescent problem drinking: Psychosocial aspects and development outcomes. In L. H. Towle (Ed.), Proceedings: NIAAAWorld Health Organization Collaborating Center Designation Meeting & Alcohol Seminar (DHHS Publication No. ADM 85-1370). Rockville, MD: NIAAA.

Madanes, C. (1981). Strategic family therapy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Mahoney, M. J. (1978). Experimental methods and outcome evaluation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46, 660-672.

10.

Minuchin, S. (1974). Families andfamily therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

11.

Minuchin, S. (1976). Structural family therapy. In G. Caplan (Ed.), Child and adolescent psychiatry, sociocultural and community psychiatry. American Handbook of Psychiatry (Vol. II). New York: Basic Books.

12.

Moos, R. F. (1974). Family environment scale: Preliminary manual. Palo Alto, CA: Social Ecology Laboratory, Stanford University.

13.

O'Donnell, J. A. , & Clayton, R. R. (1979). Determinants of early marijuana use. In G. M. Beschner & A. S. Friedman (Eds.), Youth drug abuse. Lexington, MA: D. C. Heath.

14.

Piers, E. , & Harris, D. (1969). The Piers-Harris children's seylconcept scale. Nashville, TN: Counselor Recordings and Tests.

15.

Quay, H. , & Peterson, D. (1979). Manualfor the behaviorproblem checklist. Obtainable from junior author, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers State University.

16.

Quay, H. C. , Sprague, R. C. , Shulman, H. S. , & Miller, A. L. (1966). Some correlates of personality disorder in a child guidance clinic sample. Psychology in the Schools, 3, 44-47.

17.

Santisteban, D. (1979). Toward a conceptual model of drug abuse among Hispanics. In J. Szapocznik (Ed.), Mental health, alcohol and drug abuse. Washington, DC: COSSMHO.

18.

Sloane, R. B. , Staples, F. R. , Cristol, A. H. , Yorkston, N. J. , & Whipple, K. (1975). Psychotherapy versus behavior therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

19.

Stanton, M. D. (1979). Drugs and the family: A review of the recent literature. Marriage and Family Review, 2, 1-10.

20.

Szapocznik, J. , & Hervis, O. (in press). Teoria y aplicacion de la terapia estructural de familia [Theory and practice of structural family therapy]. Cuadernos de Psicologia.

21.

Szapocznik, J. , Hervis, O. E. , Rio, A. , Faraci, A. M. , Foote, F. F. , & Kurtines, W. M. (1986). Structuralfamily systems ratings: A manual (NIMH Grant No. MH 34821). Rockville, MD: National Institute of Mental Health.

22.

Szapocznik, J. , & Kurtines, W. (1980). Acculturation, biculturalism and adjustment among Cuban Americans. In A. Padilla (Ed.), Recent advances in acculturation research: Theory, models, and some new findings. Boulder, CO: Westview.

23.

Szapocznik, J. , & Kurtines, W. M. (in press). Breakthroughs in family therapy. New York: Springer.

24.

Szapocznik, J. , Kurtines, W. M. , & Fernandez, T. (1980). Biculturalism and adjustment among Hispanic youths. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 4, 353-375.

25.

Szapocznik, J. , Kurtines, W. , Foote, F. , Perez-Vidal, A. , & Hervis, O. (1983). Conjoint versus one person family therapy: Some evidence for the effectiveness of conducting family therapy with one person. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 889-899.

26.

Szapocznik, J. , Kurtines, W. , Foote, F. , Perez-Vidal, A. , & Hervis, O. (1986). Conjoint versus one person family therapy: Further evidence for the effectiveness of conducting family therapy with one person. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 395-397.

27.

Szapocznik, J. , Kurtines, W. M. , Hervis, O. , & Spencer, F. (1984). One person family therapy. In E. Lubin & W. A. O'Connor (Eds.), Ecological approaches to clinical and community psychology (pp. 335-355). New York: John Wiley.

28.

Szapocznik, J. , Santisteban, D. , Kurtines, W. M. , Perez-Vidal, A. , & Hervis, O. (1984). Bicultural effectiveness training: A treatment intervention for enhancing intercultural adjustment in Cuban American families. Hispanic Journal of Behavior Sciences, 6, 317-344.

29.

Szapocznik, J., Santisteban, D., Perez-Vidal, A., & Brickman, A. (1987). Drug abuse syndrome: A procedurefor early identification of adolescent drug abusers. Manuscript submitted for publication.

30.

Szapocznik, J. , Santisteban, D. , Rio, A. , Perez-Vidal, A. , Kurtines, W. M. , & Hervis, O. (1986a). Bicultural effectiveness training (BET): An experimental test of an intervention modality for families experiencing intergenerational!/intercultural conflict. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 8, 303-330.

31.

Szapocznik, J. , Santisteban, D. , Rio, A. , Perez-Vidal, A. , & Kurtines, W. M. (1986b). Family effectiveness training (FET) for Hispanic families. In H. P. Lefley & P. B. Pedersen (Eds.), Cross cultural training for mental professionals. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.

32.

Szapocznik, J. , Scopetta, M. A. , & King, O. E. (1978). Theory and practice in matching treatment to the special characteristics and problems of Cuban immigrants. Journal of Community Psychology, 6, 112-122.

33.

Szapocznik, J. , Scopetta, M. A. , Kurtines, W. , & Aranalde, M. A. (1978). Theory and measurement of acculturation. Interamerican Journal of Psychology, 12(2), 113-130.

34.

Scapocznik, J. , & Truss, C. (1978). Intergenerational sources of role conflict in Cuban mothers. In M. Montiel (Ed.), Hispanic families. Washington, DC: COSSMHO.