Letting Go and Staying Connected, a Theoretically Guided, Developmentally Targeted, and Empirically Supported Intervention for Parents of Students Transitioning to College

Background: Early adulthood is a critical developmental period when many youth transition from living at home with parents to the relative autonomy of college. This transition results in increased opportunity both for positive growth and identity development as well as increased risky substance use and sexual behaviors. In particular, there is little information on marijuana use by under-21 college students in states where use has been legalized. This developmental transition also presents opportunities for prevention. Research shows that parents continue to influence young adult behavior even at a distance; however, few studies have tested parent-college student interventions. In the present study we examine the effects of parent-student relationship quality on students’ use of marijuana during their first year at college. We also examine effects of intervention condition and implementation on students’ marijuana use.

Methods: Data for the present study come from the efficacy trial of a self-directed handbook for parents of first-year college students. In the summer before college, parent-student dyads were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: control (N=313), parent handbook (N=278), or parent handbook+ (N=323). Parents in the handbook plus condition also received periodic booster text/email messages to remind them of handbook content that may be useful throughout the student’s first semester. We collected data on parent-student communication, bonding, autonomy support, and warmth as well as implementation data on dosage, adherence, and responsiveness to the intervention.

Implementation:

Dose: 85% of parents reported they read the handbook and/or completed at least some of the activities. 62% competed at least three quarters and 47% completed all 22 activities.

Adherence: On average, parents spent one hour engaged with the program. Approximately 75% reported spending one hour or more reading the handbook, and 68% reported spending one hour or more doing the suggested activities with their student.

Responsiveness: 88% of parents reported that the handbook was at least somewhat useful to their student, and 43% reported that it was very or extremely helpful. About half reported that their students were very or extremely engaged.

Conclusions: Most parents found the intervention useful and engaging, but full dosage was low. Future analyses will illuminate underage students’ use of marijuana and the relation of parent-student relationship quality with student use. In addition, we will examine whether intervention condition, dosage, and implementation characteristics are linked to student marijuana use.