This paper reports a test of the efficacy of Familias Unidas, a Hispanic-specific, ecologically focused, parent-centered preventive intervention that promotes protection against and reduction in risk for adolescent behavioral problems.
Specifically, the intervention was designed to foster parental investment, reduce adolescent behavioral problems, and promote adolescent school bonding/academic achievement, all protective factors against drug abuse and delinquency. A total of 167 Hispanic families of 6th and 7th grade students from three South Florida public schools were stratified by school grade and randomly assigned to intervention and no-intervention control conditions. Results indicated that Familias Unidas was effective in increasing parental investment and decreasing adolescent behavioral problems, but it did not significantly impact adolescent school bonding/academic achievement. Summer-vacation rates of adolescent behavior problems were six times higher in the control condition than in the intervention condition. Furthermore, change in parental investment during the intervention was predictive of subsequent levels of adolescent behavior problems. The findings suggest that Familias Unidas is effective in promoting protection and reducing risk for adolescent problem behaviors in poor immigrant Hispanic families. (publisher abstract modified)