Preventing substance misuse: Randomised Controlled Trial of the Strengthening Families 10-14 Programme
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Research and Commercial Division
Abstract
Misuse of alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs by young people impacts on their health in the short and long term, and is also associated with anti-social behaviour, crime and drop out from school. Many risk and protective factors for substance misuse in young people are located in the family. The Strengthening Families 10-14 UK programme aims to strengthen areas of family life that protect against substance misuse (parenting, communication, and young people?s resilience skills). The study will identify whether the programme delays or reduces substance use, and collect information that will help in wider implementation of the programme if successful.
Technical Summary
Adolescent risk behaviour, including substance misuse (alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs), anti-social behaviour and crime has a substantial impact on the UK economy and the health of its population. These behaviours are associated with morbidity and mortality among adolescents, poor education, social exclusion and health damaging behaviours, and poor health over the life course. They contribute substantially to social inequalities in health in adolescence and adulthood.
This research application is for a randomised controlled trial of a substance misuse prevention intervention ? the Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) 10-14 UK. The SFP10-14 for young people aged 10-14 years and their parents is a population-based universal prevention programme for alcohol, tobacco and drug misuse in young people. Research in the United States has found the SFP10-14 to be effective in delaying the onset of alcohol use, and reducing levels of smoking. In other studies, later onset of alcohol and drug use has been shown to be associated with reduced lifetime prevalence of alcohol and drug problems. US-based cost-benefit assessments have indicated that the SFP10-14 can be cost-effective at the population level for preventing alcohol misuse, other alcohol problems and also for tobacco use prevention. The SFP10-14 is thus a promising intervention and has recently been culturally adapted for use in the UK where it is gaining popularity. However, the current evidence base for the programme is derived exclusively from the US from just two trials conducted by the same research team, and there is a need to evaluate the SFP10-14?s effectiveness in a UK context, particularly in relation to the contrasting legislative frameworks and cultures surrounding alcohol in this country.
The proposed trial will take place in six local authority areas in Wales. Families who are referred to the programme will be screened for eligibility before being allocated to intervention/control groups. Key outcome measures (measured at 2 years) will include: number of occasions young people report ever having been really drunk; reported use of cannabis; weekly smoking; unauthorised absence from school; GCSE performance; and age of initiation of alcohol and tobacco consumption. A process evaluation of programme delivery will be undertaken to examine fidelity and acceptability of the intervention to participating families, and key changes in family functioning. Economic analysis will also be conducted to examine the cost effectiveness of the SFP10-14. Findings from the research will be used to directly inform policy and practice in the field of substance misuse prevention.
This research application is for a randomised controlled trial of a substance misuse prevention intervention ? the Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) 10-14 UK. The SFP10-14 for young people aged 10-14 years and their parents is a population-based universal prevention programme for alcohol, tobacco and drug misuse in young people. Research in the United States has found the SFP10-14 to be effective in delaying the onset of alcohol use, and reducing levels of smoking. In other studies, later onset of alcohol and drug use has been shown to be associated with reduced lifetime prevalence of alcohol and drug problems. US-based cost-benefit assessments have indicated that the SFP10-14 can be cost-effective at the population level for preventing alcohol misuse, other alcohol problems and also for tobacco use prevention. The SFP10-14 is thus a promising intervention and has recently been culturally adapted for use in the UK where it is gaining popularity. However, the current evidence base for the programme is derived exclusively from the US from just two trials conducted by the same research team, and there is a need to evaluate the SFP10-14?s effectiveness in a UK context, particularly in relation to the contrasting legislative frameworks and cultures surrounding alcohol in this country.
The proposed trial will take place in six local authority areas in Wales. Families who are referred to the programme will be screened for eligibility before being allocated to intervention/control groups. Key outcome measures (measured at 2 years) will include: number of occasions young people report ever having been really drunk; reported use of cannabis; weekly smoking; unauthorised absence from school; GCSE performance; and age of initiation of alcohol and tobacco consumption. A process evaluation of programme delivery will be undertaken to examine fidelity and acceptability of the intervention to participating families, and key changes in family functioning. Economic analysis will also be conducted to examine the cost effectiveness of the SFP10-14. Findings from the research will be used to directly inform policy and practice in the field of substance misuse prevention.
