Preventing Alcohol and Other Drug Use and Violence Among Latino Youth
Condition: Alcohol Drinking; Violence in Adolescence
MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      There are currently no interventions aimed at preventing both alcohol and other drug (AOD)
      use and interpersonal violence that have been adapted for Latino adolescents. This study
      hypothesizes that a cultural adaptation of a validated AOD use prevention program (Keepin' it
      REAL) that also integrates violence prevention content will both amplify the AOD use effects
      of that intervention for Latino adolescents and lead to reductions in youth violence.

      The purpose of this study is to conduct a pilot-test randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a
      youth AOD use prevention intervention that has been adapted to integrate interpersonal
      violence content and has been culturally adapted for a specific Latino population (Venezuelan
      migrant youth). The goals of the pilot test are to determine feasibility, acceptability, and
      preliminary effects of the intervention for future testing.
    

Detailed description: 
      The intervention will be an adaptation of Keepin' it REAL (KiR). KiR is a 10-week
      intervention for early adolescents that is considered a model evidence-based AOD use
      prevention program by SAMHSA. It based on communications theory and the importance of
      aligning cultural values with AOD outcomes. Weekly sessions focus on teaching youth
      communications strategies to enhance their ability to navigate situations where substance use
      may be present. It incorporates a student workbook, videos, and in-session discussions and
      exercises. We will be adapting the intervention for an online platform so that it can be
      delivered virtually. We will also be integrated interpersonal aggression content to expand
      the logic and program theory of KIR to apply to situations in which violence may arise. The
      goal is to both delay initiation of AOD use/aggressive behaviors and change the youth's norms
      around the appropriateness of AOD use and interpersonal aggression. The intervention will
      delivered for the pilot study by members of the research team (PI and/or GRAs). The
      intervention materials will be translated into Spanish by a research team member who is a
      native speaker of Spanish and checked for accuracy by other members of team. Adaptations will
      be made in consultation with a community advisory board that consists of Venezuelan migrants
      to check for cultural fit, language appropriateness, and overall concordance with the target
      population. All members of the research team are either fluent or proficient in Spanish.

      A three-armed RCT design will be used. In addition to a control group that will receive an
      abbreviated, one-session workshop, one group will receive a version of the intervention that
      has been adapted for Venezuelan youths and the other will receive a version of the
      intervention that has been adapted for Venezuelan youths and includes interpersonal violence
      content. The purpose of this design is to determine the effectiveness of the the culturally
      adaption of KiR for the original intended outcome (reduced AOD use) and the separate effect
      of integrating interpersonal violence content on reducing aggressive behaviors.
    

Intervention name(s): kiR venezolano
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): A multi-week intervention focused on drug refusal skills and self-regulation.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Latino; Adolescent; Immigrant