title: A family intervention to reduce sexual risk behavior, substance use, and delinquency among newly homeless youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluate the efficacy of a short family intervention in reducing sexual risk behavior, drug use, and delinquent behaviors among homeless youth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial of 151 families with a homeless adolescent aged 12 to 17 years. Between March 2006 and June 2009, adolescents were recruited from diverse sites in Southern California and were assessed at recruitment (baseline), and at 3, 6, and 12 months later. Families were randomly assigned to an intervention condition with five weekly home-based intervention sessions or a control condition (standard care). Main outcome measures reflect self-reported sexual risk behavior, substance use, and delinquent behaviors over the past 90 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sexual risk behavior (e.g., mean number of partners; p < .001), alcohol use (p = .003), hard drug use (p < .001), and delinquent behaviors (p = .001) decreased significantly more during 12 months in the intervention condition compared with the control condition. Marijuana use, however, significantly increased in the intervention condition compared with the control condition (p < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An intervention to reengage families of homeless youth has significant benefits in reducing risk over 12 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Center for Community Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. nmilburn@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Norweeta G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Milburn
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Iribarren
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Marguerita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lightfoot
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solorio
authors.forename: Mary Jane
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rotheram-Borus
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Desmond
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwame
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maresca
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eastmen
authors.forename: Elizabeth Mayfield
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Naihua
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology