A family intervention to reduce sexual risk behavior, substance use, and delinquency among newly homeless youth.

PURPOSE We evaluate the efficacy of a short family intervention in reducing sexual risk behavior, drug use, and delinquent behaviors among homeless youth. METHODS A randomized controlled trial of 151 families with a homeless adolescent aged 12 to 17 years. Between March 2006 and June 2009, adolescents were recruited from diverse sites in Southern California and were assessed at recruitment (baseline), and at 3, 6, and 12 months later. Families were randomly assigned to an intervention condition with five weekly home-based intervention sessions or a control condition (standard care). Main outcome measures reflect self-reported sexual risk behavior, substance use, and delinquent behaviors over the past 90 days. RESULTS Sexual risk behavior (e.g., mean number of partners; p < .001), alcohol use (p = .003), hard drug use (p < .001), and delinquent behaviors (p = .001) decreased significantly more during 12 months in the intervention condition compared with the control condition. Marijuana use, however, significantly increased in the intervention condition compared with the control condition (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS An intervention to reengage families of homeless youth has significant benefits in reducing risk over 12 months.

[1]  Eric Rice,et al.  Cross-National Variations in Behavioral Profiles Among Homeless Youth , 2006, American journal of community psychology.

[2]  Eric Rice,et al.  Adolescents Exiting Homelessness Over Two Years: The Risk Amplification and Abatement Model. , 2009, Journal of research on adolescence : the official journal of the Society for Research on Adolescence.

[3]  N. Milburn,et al.  The Effects of Peer Group Network Properties on Drug Use Among Homeless Youth , 2005, The American behavioral scientist.

[4]  E. A. Locke.  Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social-Cognitive View , 1987 .

[5]  S. Henggeler,et al.  Multisystemic Treatment of Antisocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents , 1998 .

[6]  A. Biglan,et al.  Behavioral Family Interventions for Improving Child-rearing: A Review of the Literature for Clinicians and Policy Makers , 1998, Clinical child and family psychology review.

[7]  L. Walker,et al.  Negative Life Events, Psychosocial Resources, and Psychophysiological Symptoms in Adolescents , 1987 .

[8]  N. Slesnick,et al.  System youth: a subgroup of substance-abusing homeless adolescents. , 2001, Journal of substance abuse.

[9]  B. Stanton,et al.  Test-retest reliability of self-reported HIV/STD-related measures among African-American adolescents in four U.S. cities. , 2009, The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine.

[10]  P. Toro,et al.  Diagnostic and Other Correlates of HIV Risk Behaviors in a Probability Sample of Homeless Adults , 2007 .

[11]  N. Slesnick,et al.  Ecologically based family therapy outcome with substance abusing runaway adolescents. , 2005, Journal of adolescence.

[12]  M. Rotheram-Borus,et al.  Prevention of HIV Among Adolescents , 2000, Prevention Science.

[13]  A. Horvath,et al.  Development and validation of the Working Alliance Inventory. , 1989 .

[14]  N. Milburn,et al.  Predictors of Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing Among Sexually Active Homeless Youth , 2006, AIDS and Behavior.

[15]  I. Weisfuse,et al.  HIV seroprevalence in a facility for runaway and homeless adolescents. , 1991, American journal of public health.

[16]  T. Belin,et al.  The 18-month impact of an emergency room intervention for adolescent female suicide attempters. , 2000, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology.

[17]  Janet B W Williams,et al.  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 2013 .

[18]  J. Piacentini,et al.  Brief cognitive-behavioral treatment for adolescent suicide attempters and their families. , 1994, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

[19]  C. Patterson,et al.  Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents , 1992, Child development.

[20]  P. L. Peterson,et al.  Brief motivational intervention with homeless adolescents: evaluating effects on substance use and service utilization. , 2007, Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors.

[21]  K. Kumpfer,et al.  Cultural Sensitivity and Adaptation in Family-Based Prevention Interventions , 2002, Prevention Science.

[22]  L. Whitbeck,et al.  Depressive symptoms and co-occurring depressive symptoms, substance abuse, and conduct problems among runaway and homeless adolescents. , 2000, Child development.

[23]  S. Ventura,et al.  Sexual and reproductive health of persons aged 10-24 years - United States, 2002-2007. , 2009, Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Surveillance summaries.

[24]  Eric Rice,et al.  Newly homeless youth typically return home. , 2007, The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine.

[25]  K. Tyler,et al.  Social network characteristics and risky sexual and drug related behaviors among homeless young adults. , 2008, Social science research.

[26]  R W Pfeifer,et al.  A study of HIV seroprevalence in a group of homeless youth in Hollywood, California. , 1997, The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine.

[27]  T. Dishion,et al.  Intervening in Adolescent Problem Behavior: A Family-Centered Approach , 2003 .

[28]  M. Sanders,et al.  The Development and Dissemination of the Triple P—Positive Parenting Program: A Multilevel, Evidence-Based System of Parenting and Family Support , 2002, Prevention Science.

[29]  Sarah E. Nelson,et al.  Preventing Early Adolescent Substance Use: A Family-Centered Strategy for the Public Middle School , 2002, Prevention Science.

[30]  M. McPheeters,et al.  The prevalence of homelessness among adolescents in the United States. , 1998, American journal of public health.

[31]  Michael W. Arthur,et al.  Prevention science and positive youth development: competitive or cooperative frameworks? , 2002, The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine.

[32]  G. Koch,et al.  Mediation in a family-directed program for prevention of adolescent tobacco and alcohol use. , 2001, Preventive medicine.

[33]  Triage model for suicidal runaways. , 1991, The American journal of orthopsychiatry.

[34]  Juwon Song,et al.  Reductions in HIV Risk Among Runaway Youth , 2003, Prevention Science.

[35]  R. Spoth,et al.  Family-Centered Preventive Intervention Science: Toward Benefits to Larger Populations of Children, Youth, and Families , 2002, Prevention Science.

[36]  R. Kagan,et al.  Families in perpetual crisis , 1989 .

[37]  J. Bray.  Helping couples change. , 2007 .

[38]  L. Whitbeck,et al.  Familial and "on-the-street" risk factors associated with alcohol use among homeless and runaway adolescents. , 2002, Journal of studies on alcohol.