ECPN poster contestant: Effects on Parent-Adolescent Communication and Adolescent Conduct Problems at 6 Months: Familias Unidas in Ecuador

Introduction: Familias Unidas, an evidence-based, parent-centered preventive intervention developed for Hispanic youth in the U.S., was adapted and tested for use in Ecuador. A recent study yielding promising short-term, post-intervention effects on parent-adolescent communication and adolescent conduct problems was recently published. However, it is important to examine whether intervention effects are sustained or magnified over time. This study examined the long-term efficacy of Familias Unidas on parent-adolescent communication and adolescent conduct problems in youth living in Ecuador.

Methods: 239 Ecuadorian youth (ages 12-14 years) and their primary caregivers were randomized to Familias Unidas (n=128, 53.8%) or Community Practice (n=110, 46.0%). Participants were assessed at baseline, 3 months (post-intervention), and 6 months (post-baseline). Measures included the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale (Barnes & Olson, 1985) and the conduct disorder scale from the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist (Quay & Peterson, 1993). Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the longer-term intervention effects of Familias Unidas on the association between parent-adolescent communication and adolescent conduct problems post-intervention period (from 3 months to 6 months).

Results: Compared to Community Practice, Familias Unidas significantly improved parent-adolescent communication at 3 months post-intervention ( =0.159, p=<0.0001), which in turn reduced adolescent conduct problems ( =-0.221, p=<0.0001) at 3 months post-intervention. This mediating path was significant ( =-0.035, p=<0.05). The results also showed that parent-adolescent communication at 3 months post-intervention significantly influenced change in parent-adolescent communication at 6 months post-baseline ( =-0.617, p=<0.0001), which then demonstrated a significant effect on change in adolescent conduct problems at 6 months post-baseline ( =-0.239, p=<0.0001). This mediating path was also significant ( = .228, p =<0.0001).

Conclusions: Consistent with past Familias Unidas trials in the U.S., this study implies that the mechanism by which Familias Unidas in Ecuador affects youth problem behaviors is through improvements in family functioning, mainly parent-adolescent communication. Specifically, the short-term effect of Familias Unidas on parent-adolescent communication at 3 months post-intervention impacted the sustained positive parent-adolescent communication at 6 months post- baseline to influence a reduction in adolescent conduct problems. Findings point to the viability of translating U.S. evidence-based interventions into Latin-American settings with efficacious results.