African American adolescent males are significantly more likely to engage in high- risk sexual activity than other adolescents. Their rates of marijuana and alcohol use have also greatly increased over the past decade. This 2 year exploratory and developmental application is responsive to PA-08-218 (R1) and requests funding to revise, standardize, and pilot test an empirically informed, comprehensive, and culturally sensitive parent-training prevention intervention for mothers of African American adolescent boys. The program is designed to teach mothers the socialization principles and specific practices the empirical research shows to be associated with a lower prevalence of high-risk behaviors among African American boys. The preliminary program curriculum, format, and manual have been developed over several years from a series of parenting workshops regularly conducted by the PI for parents of African American boys. The program also utilizes many of the best practices of other parenting programs. To further revise the curriculum, the PI will conduct focus groups with parents of high-achieving African American boys and other with parents of lower achieving boys. Experts in parenting and translational research will also rate the curriculum and workshop format. Another purpose of this proposal is to pilot test the feasibility and efficacy of the prevention-intervention. A total of 72 8th grade African American male students and their mothers will complete baseline assessments of intervention targeted parenting, high-risk behaviors, self-regulation, peer networks, and achievement. The families will then be randomly assigned to the prevention intervention or the control group. The prevention intervention will occur before the boys attend the same high school. Post test assessments will occur six months post intervention. Preliminary hypothesis tests of the conceptual model underlying the program will also be conducted. Another purpose is to estimate intervention parameters such as effect sizes, response rates, attrition rates, fidelity, interrater reliability, and parameters important for statistical power. Consistent with the mission of NIDA and purpose of the R21 grant mechanism, this project is designed to facilitate the development of larger scientifically-based prevention interventions to reduce high-risk behaviors in this population.
African American adolescent males are significantly more likely than other adolescents to engage in risky sexual activity, and their rates of alcohol and marijuana use have dramatically increased recently. These behaviors place them at elevated risk for HIV/AIDS and substance abuse during adulthood. This project seeks to reduce these risky behaviors among African American adolescent males, which would have enormous implications for public health.
