Mediation of a preventive intervention's 6-year effects on health risk behaviors.
Using data from a 6-year longitudinal follow-up sample of 240 youth who participated in a randomized experimental trial of a preventive intervention for divorced families with children ages 9 to 12, the current study tested mechanisms by which the intervention reduced substance use and risky sexual behavior in mid to late adolescence (15-19 years old). Mechanisms tested included parental monitoring, adaptive coping, and negative errors. Parental monitoring at 6-year follow-up mediated program effects to reduce alcohol and marijuana use, polydrug use, and other drug use for those with high pretest risk for maladjustment. In the condition that included a program for mothers only, increases in youth adaptive coping at 6-year follow-up mediated program effects on risky sexual behavior for those with high pretest risk for maladjustment. Contrary to expectation, program participation increased negative errors and decreased adaptive coping among low-risk youth in some of the analyses. Ways in which this study furthers our understanding of pathways through which evidence-based preventive interventions affect health risk behaviors are discussed.
Soper
Ana C
AC
VA Northern California Healthcare System, USA.
Wolchik
Sharlene A
SA
Tein
Jenn-Yun
JY
Sandler
Irwin N
IN
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult