There is a lack of evidence of effectiveness of the included interventions. Motivational interviewing and some family interventions may have some benefit. Cost-effectiveness has not yet been addressed in any studies, and further research is needed to determine whether any of these interventions can be recommended.
Assessing a public health approach to delay onset and progression of adolescent substance use: latent transition and log-linear analyses of longitudinal family preventive intervention outcomes.
This study examined the effects of the Iowa Strengthening Families Program (ISFP) and the Preparing for the Drug-Free Years program (PDFY) on young adolescent transitions from nonuse of substances to initiation and progression of substance use. Analyses incorporated 3 waves of data collected over a 2.5-year period from 329 rural young adolescents. Outcomes were analyzed by using log-linear models that incorporated substance use status frequencies derived from latent transition analyses. Effects on delayed substance use initiation were shown for both the ISFP and the PDFY at a 2-year follow-up. Also at this follow-up, the PDFY showed effects on delayed progression of use among those previously reporting initiation.