JUNTOS (TOGETHER): Development of a Family-based Latino Youth Use Preventive Intervention

SCHOOL SELECTION FOR QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL GROUP DESIGN. For aim 4, we have selected two out of five high schools that are closely are closely matched on the following criteria: 1) % Latino student enrollment (85.6 and 84.7), 2) % of students classified as economically disadvantaged (83 and 87), 3) Student achievement scores (66 and 69), 4) Student attendance scores (92 and 93), and 5) Student mobility rate (25.8 and 25.1). The matching of the two pilot study schools on these criteria, will allow us to eliminate any potential confounds that might preclude us from teasing apart the effects of the intervention from potential confounding school level effects. If the proposed intervention shows promise, we will be able to systematically test for school level effects in a larger, future study. We then propose to randomly assign one of the two schools to serve as intervention school and one of the two schools to serve as comparison school. The random assignment of one school to serve as intervention and one school to serve as comparison school will demonstrate the feasibility of randomization for a future larger study and will eliminate concerns about crossover and contamination.

Families from the intervention school (N = 30) will then be assigned to one of three intervention groups, each consisting of about 10 families (i.e., one youth and one parent), based on their language preference (English vs. Spanish). These families will then participate in the 9 week pilot intervention and fill-out a pre- and post-assessment battery.

Families from the comparison school (N = 30) will receive weekly information packages and fill out the pre- and post-assessment battery in the same week as the intervention school families.

For both groups, we will aim towards equal representation of boys and girls as well as U.S. and foreign-born youth. In line with the academic calendar of all the schools, we will aim to deliver the intervention from January to May to avoid delays due to school holidays and vacation.

Intervention Families will receive intervention sessions designed in PHASES 1-3. Sessions will be delivered in English or Spanish, based on participants' language preferences. We will conduct three groups (10 families and 2 facilitators/group). Although the time and location will be determined after study PHASE 3, based on my discussions with AISD, intervention sessions may be offered after school in a safe room. Incentives will include weekly non-monetary incentives, starting with small incentives (e.g., pens) and increasing the incentive value in later weeks (e.g., t-shirts). Each session will include a meal. Also, the time and location of the intervention will be determined based on the qualitative interview feedback. Participants will receive $30 for each completed assessment. Intervention session content will be delivered through short presentations, small/large group discussions, role-plays, exercises and practice of new skills. Each session will include home practice of new skills. Sessions will be digitally recorded. Recording will be used for future intervention refinement. Participants will be asked to respect the privacy of other group members. Facilitators: The PI will lead intervention sessions with a bilingual facilitator. The PI will, in consultation with co-primary mentors, Martinez and Marsiglia, train the facilitator by reviewing the intervention manual, emphasizing the purpose of each intervention component session and the need to not modify the manual. We will conduct mock intervention sessions and provide in-person feedback.