Family Communication Intervention for Preventing Adolescent Substance Use

Overseen By Associate Director, Pre-Award Research Administration

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Tufts University

Disqualifiers: Developmental disabilities, Language barrier

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a program designed to help parents discuss the dangers of substance use with their children. The goal is to encourage families to spend quality time together, such as sharing meals and having important conversations, to help prevent substance use as children grow older. The trial will compare two groups: one focused on substance use prevention (The SUPPER Project) and the other on healthy eating and exercise (Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity Among Youth). Families that might be a good fit include parents who live with their child in grades 5-7 at least half the time and can speak English or Spanish. As an unphased trial, this study offers families the chance to contribute to valuable research that can enhance family communication and promote healthier lifestyles.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that this intervention is safe for families?

Research shows that similar family communication programs have helped teenagers make better choices about drugs. These programs aim to improve communication between parents and children, which can help prevent drug misuse.

Although detailed safety information for this specific program is not available, it is non-invasive and involves educational materials and discussions. This approach is generally well-received, as it focuses on sharing information and enhancing family communication. No reports of negative effects have emerged, which aligns with the program's nature. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Family Communication Intervention for preventing adolescent substance use because it focuses on enhancing parent-child communication, a unique approach compared to conventional programs that often center around school-based education or peer-focused initiatives. This intervention is distinctive in its use of personalized handbooks tailored to the child's gender, hands-on action planning, and ongoing support through follow-up sessions and weekly reminders, which aim to foster a proactive communication environment at home. Additionally, the emphasis on family meals as a tool for prevention is an innovative angle that highlights the role of everyday family interactions in reducing substance use risk among adolescents.

What evidence suggests that this trial's interventions could be effective for preventing adolescent substance use?

Research shows that family communication programs can help reduce substance use among teenagers. In this trial, participants in the "Substance Use Prevention Intervention" arm will engage in a program designed to enhance family communication about substance use. One study found that students who participated in at least 60% of similar programs had much lower rates of substance use. Families involved in these programs also increased discussions about substance use, which is important because it helps parents steer their children away from risky behaviors. Early findings highlight that spending quality time together, such as having family meals, strengthens this communication and prevention effort. Overall, these programs seem promising in preventing substance use by encouraging open conversations between parents and children. Meanwhile, the "Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Weight Talk Comparison" arm will focus on improving nutrition and physical activity among youth, providing a different approach to family engagement. ^{1 3 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Margie Skeer, ScD, MPH, MSW

Principal Investigator

Tufts University School of Medicine

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for parents or guardians with a child in 5th-7th grade, who live with the child at least half the time. They must be able to understand English or Spanish well enough to participate in study procedures and agree to discuss substance use harms during family meals.

Inclusion Criteria

Parental consent and child assent are obtained.

I am the custodial parent and live with my child at least half the time.

My child is in 5th to 7th grade at the project's start.

Exclusion Criteria

Parents or families who are not able to speak, read, and understand English or Spanish well enough to complete study procedures.

My child has a developmental disability that makes understanding assessments hard.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Parents participate in a one-hour session with an interventionist and receive a follow-up phone call. They also receive text messages with reminders and tips over a three-month period.

3 months

1 visit (in-person or remote), 1 follow-up call

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in parent-child communication and substance use expectancies.

18 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Improving nutrition and physical activity among youth
• The SUPPER Project

Trial Overview The study tests a new way of preventing substance misuse by improving parent-child communication. It encourages families to spend quality time together, particularly during meals, where they can talk about the dangers of alcohol and drug use.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Substance Use Prevention Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Parents will be given a handbook specific to the gender of their child that provides information and advice communication and substance use prevention. Parents will then participate in a one-hour session with an interventionist where the main points in the handbook will be reviewed and they will fill out an action plan on how to make changes in communication about substances with their child. The interventionist will also provide parents with a referral packet. Two weeks after the live session, participants will have a half-hour follow-up phone call with the same study interventionist. For the home-based component, parents will receive two messages each week with reminders and tips that reinforce the information covered in the handbook. Finally, participants will receive a magnet about the importance of family meals that they will be instructed to put on their refrigerators.

Group II: Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Weight Talk Comparison Active Control 1 Intervention

For the comparison condition, after the baseline assessment, parents will receive a handbook on nutrition and physical activity entitled: "Healthy Eating \& Physical Activity Across Your Lifespan: Helping your Child - Tips for Parents". This handbook, which is adapted from the handbook developed by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the Weight Control Information Network, is approximately the same length as the intervention handbook and is available in English and Spanish. It is given with an insert on reducing weight talk and weight teasing in the family. Parents will also receive a magnet with a message about nutrition and exercise. To control for contact time, these participants will meet live with a study staff member two weeks after receiving the handbook, complete an action plan, and have the 30-minute call, as well as receive two text messages twice per week for 13 weeks with tips and reminders from the comparison handbook and insert.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Tufts University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

271

Recruited

595,000+

Brown University

Collaborator

Trials

480

Recruited

724,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The adaptation of the Familias Unidas intervention for obesity prevention in Hispanic adolescents involved input from experts and families, leading to a program that emphasizes improved family health, nutrition education, and physical activity engagement.

Pilot testing showed that parents were enthusiastic about hands-on nutrition training, and adolescents expressed a desire for more joint physical activities with their parents, highlighting the importance of family involvement in obesity prevention efforts.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Familias Unidas for Health and Wellness: Adapting an Evidence-Based Substance Use and Sexual Risk Behavior Intervention for Obesity Prevention in Hispanic Adolescents. St George, SM., Messiah, SE., Sardinas, KM., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2916744/

Evidence-Based Interventions for Preventing Substance Use ... The strongest intervention effects were observed among students exposed to at least 60% of the intervention; these students had significantly lower rates than ...

2. jahonline.org jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(25)00368-4/fulltext

Parent-Child Communication Results From an Efficacy ... A higher frequency of parent-child conversations and targeted communication about substance use was observed among parents in the intervention ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5026681/

Interventions for Adolescent Substance Abuse We report findings from a total of 46 systematic reviews focusing on interventions for smoking/tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, and combined substance abuse.

4. cdc.gov cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/media/pdfs/2025/08/ENGAGE_Resource-for-Action_508c.pdf

Evidence-Based Strategies to Prevent Youth Substance Use The outcomes include substance use risk and protective factors, along with substance use behaviors. This is not an exhaustive list, and not every intervention,.

5. thecommunityguide.org thecommunityguide.org/findings/substance-use-family-based-interventions-to-prevent-substance-use-among-youth.html

Substance Use: Family-based Interventions to Prevent ... Reduced sexual risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (14 studies) · Improved mental health symptoms (13 studies) · Improved school-related outcomes ( ...

6. apa.org apa.org/monitor/2024/03/new-approaches-youth-substance-misuse

More teens than ever are overdosing. Psychologists ... Early evidence shows similar interventions can help adolescents improve their knowledge and decision-making around drug use (Fischer, N. R., ...

7. samhsa.gov samhsa.gov/libraries/evidence-based-practices-resource-center

Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center The Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center provides information and tools to incorporate evidence-based practices into communities or clinical settings.