Active Parenting of Teens: Families in Action
Problems addressed
Low social–emotional competences
School dropout
Alcohol abuse
Effectiveness

Promising

.

.

.

.

.

Promising

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

Life periods served
Children (4 to 13 years)
Teenagers (14 to 17 years)
Where the program was applied
Education establishment
Country of application
United States
Description

This is a school-based prevention program aimed at families and teenagers entering high school. The intervention is offered throughout the school year, both to a group of parents and to teenagers, as an after-school activity.
It lasts six weeks, with groups of 5 to 12 families learning skills to increase positive attachment and participation in school, and to prevent the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs by their children.

Impact evaluations

An impact evaluation showed that adolescents participating in the program reported increased family cohesion, school attendance, and higher levels of self-esteem, as well as an increase in the age at which they started drinking. Parents reported lower alcohol consumption, but no effect on tobacco use. The study used a quasi-experimental design in four schools in a rural town in northeastern Michigan, USA [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Abbey, A., Pilgrim, C., Hendrickson, P. & Buresh, S. (2000). Evaluation of a family-based substance abuse prevention program targeted for the middle school years. Journal of Drug Education, 30(2), 213–228. https://doi.org/10.2190/GT8C-ELWH-HY94-ECG9

[2] Abbey, A., Pilgrim, C., Hendrickson, P., & Lorenz, S. L. (1998). Implementation and impact of a family-based substance abuse prevention program in rural communities. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 18(3), 341–361. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024659012360

Information source