School-Based, Family-Centered Online Prevention to Reduce Risk and Support Middle School Success

Introduction

Family-centered treatment models have been shown to have the largest effects over time to reduce problem behavior and support youth adjustment. Despite this evidence, a high proportion of children and adolescents never receive treatment for these problems. Many of the family-centered evidenced based programs that reduce risk and support mental health adjustment for youth have been tested in schools, yet the majority of “real world” school-based interventions focus on the individual child or on the school context, not family factors or parenting. Although there is a clear need for schools to have access to family-centered interventions that address risk behavior, a number of limitations diminish the ability of schools to implement such interventions. As a result, most interventions that target parenting practices are unrealistic for schools, especially in rural areas.

The Family Check-Up (FCU) is a brief, cost-effective intervention that has been successfully delivered in schools and can be easily adapted to an online version. Our prior research from a number of randomized trials suggests that middle school youths demonstrated intervention effects on problem behavior, grade point average, attendance, and school engagement, as well as on nonacademic outcomes, such as rates of depression, substance use, and high-risk sexual behavior.

Methods

In this study, we adapted the FCU intervention to an online program for middle school youths and families. Very few online interventions exist that target parenting, and none focus on school-based delivery to increase parent management skills during adolescence to prevent problem behavior. The FCU Online was developed as both a stand-alone web-based intervention and a coach supported intervention for use in schools.

Results

We used multimedia assets and technology to construct a user-friendly, engaging web program that integrates principles of effective internet delivery including tailored messaging, in-person feedback, and interactive features of instruction.

In this presentation, we will demonstrate the FCU Online website and provide examples of the activities and intervention for parents. We will also present both focus group and pilot data that tests the feasibility and consumer satisfaction of this online program for reducing risk and engaging parent’s in family-centered strategies for managing middle school youth.

Conclusions

The FCU Online reduces many of the barriers that prevent schools from administering support services to families, including cost, staffing resources, and time. Further testing and research will enhance our ability to understanding the efficacy of the FCU Online with middle school youths and the feasibility of this intervention for schools.