Reducing Risk Behavior with Family-Centered Prevention During the Young Adult Years

Abstract

Family-centered prevention is effective at reducing risk behavior throughout the life span and promoting healthy development. Despite research that suggests parents continue to play a significant role in the lives of their children during emerging adulthood, very few studies have examined effective family-centered strategies for preventing risk behavior in young adults. Typical prevention efforts for this age group have focused on college students and substance use prevention, with no integration of families or systems of support that may sustain the effects of the intervention. In this study, we evaluated a version of the Family Check-Up (FCU) that was adapted for young adults and their families, the Young Adult Family Check-Up (YA-FCU). Families were randomly assigned to receive the FCU or school as usual during the middle school years. Ten years later, they were offered the YA-FCU, which was adapted for families of emerging adult children. Intent-to-treat and complier average causal effect analyses were used to examine change in young adult risk behavior approximately 1 year after receiving the YA-FCU. Analyses indicated that random assignment alone or simple engagement was not associated with reductions in young adult risk behavior. However, dose-response analyses indicated that the more hours that youth and families were engaged in the YA-FCU, the greater the reductions in young adult risk behavior relative to those who did not engage or engaged very little in the intervention, resulting in a medium effect size of the YA-FCU on risk behavior.

The Family Check-Up 4 Health (FCU4Health): Applying Implementation Science Frameworks to the Process of Adapting an Evidence-Based Parenting Program for Prevention of Pediatric Obesity and Excess Weight Gain in Primary Care

“…More recently, the original FCU was adapted for delivery within and in coordination with primary healthcare systems ( 55 ). Ongoing studies are testing the effectiveness of (a) a version of the program adapted for emerging adults (ages 19 to 23 years) and their parents ( 56 ) and (b) an Internet-based delivery of FCU to families in rural areas identified in middle schools ( 57 ). In each of these situations, the context of FCU delivery and the population were targeted for adaptation, but the primary clinical target (i.e., reduction of child problem behaviors through the improvement of family management) remained consistent.…”

The Family Check-Up Online: A Telehealth Model for Delivery of Parenting Skills to High-Risk Families With Opioid Use Histories

“…The FCU has been shown to be effective in multiple randomized control trials with a range of age groups when delivered in a variety of settings including elementary school ( Stormshak et al, 2020 ), middle school ( Stormshak et al, 2010 ), and community mental health settings ( Smith et al, 2015 ). The model is effective at reducing problem behavior and supporting parenting skills with parents of young children ( Dishion et al, 2008 ), middle school children ( Fosco et al, 2013 ), and late adolescents ( Stormshak et al, 2019a ).…”

Opportunities and Challenges for Prevention and Intervention in Emerging Adulthood: Introduction to the Special Issue

“…Also using an RCT design, Stormshak et al (2018) evaluated the efficacy of a multi-modal family-based intervention, delivered during the emerging adulthood years, in reducing risk behaviors among a community sample originally recruited during middle school. The adapted intervention was designed to target the unique features of emerging adulthood, including enhancing the parent-youth relationship and communication, encouraging healthy relationships, and promoting emerging adults' autonomy.…”