KEEP SAFE
Effectiveness

Promising

.

.

.

.

.

Promising

Want to know more about this classification? Check out our methodological manual.

Life periods served
Where the program was applied
Country of application
Description

This is a psychoeducation program for girls between the ages of 10 and 12 who are in alternative residential care systems and for their foster families. The objective is to prevent emotional problems and risky behaviors, such as drug abuse and involvement in crime, among others.
The intervention is carried out in 12 group sessions, six for the girls and six for the parents. In the adolescent group, participants learn to set goals, maintain positive relationships with peers and adults, and develop decision-making and problem-solving skills.
In the foster family parent group, the focus is on maintaining stability at home, preparing the girls to face the transition to high school, and developing behavioral reinforcement techniques and realistic expectations. Parents are given homework assignments to motivate them to practice their new skills at home.

Impact evaluations

An impact evaluation showed that, after six months of follow-up, the program produced a reduction in emotional and behavioral problems, and an increase in prosocial behaviors. Two years after the intervention, there was a reduction in sexual risky behavior and substance use in the treated adolescents [1].
The study had a randomized experimental design with a sample of 100 girls aged 10 to 12 years who completed elementary school between 2004 and 2007 and lived in residential alternative care systems in Oregon, USA. Of this total, 48 were assigned to the group receiving the program intervention and 52 to the control group, which received standard local services. Data was collected at the 12-month follow-up marker and two years post-intervention [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Kim, H. K. & Leve, L. D. (2011). Substance use and delinquency among middle school girls in foster care: A three-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 79(6), 740–750. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025949