Unsafe Sexual Behavior clinical trials

Familias Unidas: Preventing Drug Abuse and HIV in Hispanic First Offenders

The main goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy of Familias Unidas (United Families), a family-based, ecodevelopmental intervention found to be previously efficacious in preventing and reducing behavior problems, illicit drug use, and unsafe sexual behavior in non-delinquent Hispanic adolescents (Pantin et al., 2003; Prado, Pantin, Briones et al., 2007). The study hypotheses are as follows: Hypothesis 1. Familias Unidas will be more efficacious than Treatment as Usual in preventing drug use among Hispanic first offending adolescents or those who are at risk for committing a first time offense over time. Hypothesis 1a. The effect of Familias Unidas on drug use will be partially mediated by improvements in family functioning. Hypothesis 2. Familias Unidas will be more efficacious than Treatment as Usual in preventing unsafe sexual behavior among Hispanic first offending adolescents or those who are at risk for committing a first time offense over time. Hypothesis 2a. The effect of Familias Unidas on unsafe sexual behavior will be partially mediated by improvements in family functioning. Hypothesis 3. Familias Unidas will be more efficacious than Treatment as Usual in preventing subsequent criminal offenses among Hispanic first offending adolescents or in preventing a first time offense for those at risk for committing a first time offense over time. Hypothesis 3a. The effect of Familias Unidas on subsequent criminal offenses will be mediated by family functioning.