Culturally Competent Intervention with Families of Latino Youth at Risk for Drug Abuse

A culturally specific intervention for families with children at risk for substance abuse was implemented by Proyecto Juventud (Youth Project), a community-based family services program located in the rural southwestern United States. This intervention, incorporating culturally appropriate language, beliefs, values, and principles, provided substance abuse education to families. Participants were pretested at intake and posttested at one year, utilizing one measure for knowledge of drugs and drug abuse, and a second measure for family functioning. Results indicated that parents' scores relating to drug and drug abuse knowledge showed a trend of improvement on 16 out of 20 items. The results on family functioning were inconclusive. The study illustrated the importance of using a cultural approach with Latino families in the area of substance abuse prevention. (C) 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.