Abstract: A Culturally Specific Small Group Intervention for Vulnerable Latino Preadolescents: A Companion to a Classroom-Based Drug Abuse Prevention Program (Society for Social Work and Research 15th Annual Conference: Emerging Horizons for Social Work Research)
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4P A Culturally Specific Small Group Intervention for Vulnerable Latino Preadolescents: A Companion to a Classroom-Based Drug Abuse Prevention Program

Schedule:
Friday, January 14, 2011
* noted as presenting author
Flavio Marsiglia, PhD, Director, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, Bonnie Gance-Cleveland, PhD, Assoc Professor, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, Stephanie Ayers, PhD, Research Coordinator, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, Kathleen Mettler, MSW, School Social Worker, Walden University, Phoenix, AZ and Julie Nagoshi, MSW, Phd Student, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ
Background and Purpose: Classroom-based universal interventions with preadolescents are effective in preventing the onset of drug abuse in this population. Programs such as keepin'it REAL have demonstrated high levels of effectiveness but they are not able to directly address the unique needs of preadolescents at higher risk of use or already using drugs. This presentation describes the development and initial effectiveness evaluation of a companion psychosocial small group intervention which aims to address the needs of students identified by their teachers as being at higher risk for use or who are already experimenting with alcohol and other drugs.

Methods: The preadolescent (7th grade) small group intervention is called REAL Groups and is a developmental adaptation of the original REAL Groups developed and tested with 5th graders (Marsiglia et al, 2010). Following a mutual aide approach small groups were formed at randomly selected school sites and 80 7th graders were referred by their classroom teachers to the small groups in their schools. Using Propensity Score Matching, students in the groups were compared to the same number of matched cases not participating in REAL Groups but receiving the classroom version of keepin'it REAL. Using Propensity Score Matching allowed for a less biased effect of participating in the REAL Groups.

Results: Initial findings demonstrate that the REAL Groups participants benefited more from the overall intervention than their counterparts receiving only the classroom-based prevention program. Students who participated in REAL Groups significantly decreased alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use compared to students who did not participate in REAL Groups.

Conclusions: The extra dosage hypothesis as a response to higher levels of risk and vulnerability was confirmed. Providing a companion psychosocial small group intervention to a classroom based intervention is a useful tool to decrease risky behaviors in adolescents.