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Intervention Induced Changes in Perceptions of Parenting and Risk Opportunities Among Rural African American

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Abstract

A randomized prevention trial was conducted contrasting families who took part in the Strong African American Families Program (SAAF), a preventive intervention for rural African American parents and their 11-year-olds, with control families. The trial, which included 671 families, indicated that intervention-induced changes occurred in intervention-targeted parenting and youth behavior, as well as youth initiation of alcohol use and sexual activity. Four waves of data collected were obtained at pretest, 3-month post-test, 29 month long-term follow up; and 65 month long-term follow up. Three data points were selected and analyzed in the current study: pretest, post-test, and 65 month long-term follow up to capture the sustainability of SAAF during three critical developmental stages—middle childhood, early adolescence, and late adolescence. Intervention-induced changes in parenting mediated the effect of intervention-group influences on changes in the onset and escalation of alcohol use and sexual activity over 65 months through its positive influence on youths’ perceptions and internalization of parental norms and resistance to engaging in risk opportunities. These findings highlight the potential for family-based prevention programs to enhance positive developmental outcomes to reduce HIV-related risk behaviors among rural African American youth.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human and Organizational Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA

    Velma McBride Murry

  2. Wagner College, Staten Island, NY, USA

    Lily D. McNair

  3. Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Sonya S. Myers

  4. University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Yi-fu Chen & Gene H. Brody

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  1. Velma McBride Murry
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  2. Lily D. McNair
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  4. Yi-fu Chen
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Correspondence to Velma McBride Murry.

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Murry, V.M., McNair, L.D., Myers, S.S. et al. Intervention Induced Changes in Perceptions of Parenting and Risk Opportunities Among Rural African American. J Child Fam Stud 23, 422–436 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9714-5

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