This application was submitted in response to NIAAA PA-06-097 """"""""Parenting Capacities and Health Outcomes in Youths and Adolescents"""""""". Alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse/dependence, suicidal behavior, and HIV infection constitute three significant public health problems. Adolescents seeking treatment for mental health problems are at significantly greater risk for the development of AOD abuse/dependence, suicidal behavior, and risky sexual behavior compared to non-psychiatric adolescent samples. Prevention programs that target these three often inter-related self-destructive behaviors among youth seeking community mental health treatment have not been tested. The primary purpose of this proposal is to develop a family-based cognitive behavioral protocol designed to prevent AOD use disorder, suicidal behavior, and HIV risk behaviors among sexually active teens receiving community mental health services and then evaluate it in a randomized Stage I trial. This protocol will be developed by integrating key elements from two federally funded intervention protocols, Dr. Esposito-Smythers' (PI) cognitive behavioral individual and family based protocol for the treatment of adolescent alcohol abuse and suicidality and Dr. Brown's (PI) HIV prevention program for teens in mental health treatment. There are three primary aims in this project: 1) develop a manualized AOD, suicide, and HIV prevention protocol for adolescents receiving community mental health treatment; 2) pilot and refine the prevention protocol with 12 families; and 3) test this prevention protocol in a small randomized pilot trial. To accomplish these aims, a two step sequence of treatment development is proposed. Stage 1a activities include manual development, therapist training, and an open pilot trial. Stage 1b activities include a randomized pilot trial. One hundred twenty-five adolescents and their parents receiving community mental health treatment will be randomly assigned to the integrated prevention protocol or an assessment-only control condition as an adjunct to their outpatient mental health care. The prevention protocol will include attendance at two workshops and an individualized booster session. Outcome will be assessed at post-intervention, 6 month, and 12 month follow-ups. The long term objective of this research is to yield a comprehensive prevention program that can be used as an adjunct to mental health treatment in an effort to offset the developmental trajectory toward AOD abuse/dependence, suicidal behavior, and HIV risk behavior among youth with mental health problems. ? ?

Public Health Relevance

Adolescent alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse/dependence, suicide, and HIV infection constitute three significant public health problems. Adolescents with mental health problems are at significantly greater risk for each of these self-destructive behaviors when compared to non-psychiatric adolescent samples. An integrated AOD, suicide, and HIV prevention program, delivered within community mental health centers, could offset the development of each of these outcomes among youth with mental health problems. ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01AA016854-01A2
Application #
7552492
Study Section
Behavioral and Social Consequences of HIV/AIDS Study Section (BSCH)
Program Officer
Chiapella, Page
Project Start
2008-09-30
Project End
2012-08-31
Budget Start
2008-09-30
Budget End
2009-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$344,613
Indirect Cost
Name
George Mason University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
077817450
City
Fairfax
State
VA
Country
United States
Zip Code
22030
Esposito-Smythers, Christianne; Hadley, Wendy; Curby, Timothy W et al. (2017) Randomized pilot trial of a cognitive-behavioral alcohol, self-harm, and HIV prevention program for teens in mental health treatment. Behav Res Ther 89:49-56
Martinson, Laura E; Esposito-Smythers, Christianne; Blalock, Dan V (2016) The effect of parental monitoring on trajectories of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors among adolescents: An individual growth curve analysis. Appetite 107:180-187
Martinson, Laura E; Esposito-Smythers, Christianne; Blalock, Dan V (2016) The effects of parental mental health and social-emotional coping on adolescent eating disorder attitudes and behaviors. J Adolesc 52:154-61
Miller, Adam B; Esposito-Smythers, Christianne; Weismoore, Julie T et al. (2013) The relation between child maltreatment and adolescent suicidal behavior: a systematic review and critical examination of the literature. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 16:146-72
Esposito-Smythers, Christianne; Walsh, Adam; Spirito, Anthony et al. (2012) Working With the Suicidal Client Who Also Abuses Substances. Cogn Behav Pract 19:245-255