Family‐based prevention counseling for high‐risk young adolescents: Immediate outcomes

Family prevention counseling, which features customized prevention planning for individual families, is a promising approach for preventive intervention with adolescents at high risk for substance abuse and conduct disorder. A randomized study (N = 124) tested the post‐intervention efficacy of an indicated, family‐based prevention model with a sample of inner‐city African‐American youths (ages 11–14). Key risk and protective factors associated with the development of drug use and antisocial behavior were targeted in four domains: self‐competence, family functioning, school involvement, and peer associations. Compared to controls, participants in family prevention counseling showed gains in global self‐worth, family cohesion, and bonding to school, and a decrease in peer antisocial behavior. The potential utility of family prevention counseling within a unified prevention framework is discussed.