Psychosomatic Medicine
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Published online before print October 15, 2009, 10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181bb2913
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Psychosomatic Medicine 71:987-995 (2009)
© 2009 American Psychosomatic Society

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Familias Unidas for Hispanic Adolescents With Behavior Problems

Hilda Pantin, PhD, Guillermo Prado, PhD, Barbara Lopez, PhD, Shi Huang, PhD, Maria I. Tapia, MSW, Seth J. Schwartz, PhD, Eduardo Sabillon, MS, C. Hendricks Brown, PhD and Jennifer Branchini, BS

From the Center for Family Studies, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Hilda Pantin, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1425 N.W. 10th Ave., 3rd floor, Miami, FL 33136; E-mail: hpantin{at}med.miami.edu

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Familias Unidas, a Hispanic-specific, parent-centered intervention, in preventing/reducing adolescent substance use, unsafe sexual behavior, and externalizing disorders.

Methods: A total of 213 8th grade Hispanic adolescents with behavior problems and their primary caregivers were assigned randomly to one of two conditions: Familias Unidas or Community Control. Participants were assessed at baseline and at 6, 18, and 30 months post baseline.

Results: Results showed that, relative to a Community Control condition, Familias Unidas was efficacious in preventing or reducing externalizing disorders, preventing and reducing substance use, and in reducing unsafe sexual behavior. The effects of Familias Unidas on these outcomes were partially mediated by improvements in family functioning.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that parent-centered intervention is an efficacious strategy for preventing/reducing specific health risk behaviors in Hispanic adolescents with behavior problems.

Key Words: prevention • HIV • substance use • Hispanic • family • externalizing disorders






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