Feasibility of a mobile parent-based intervention to reduce alcohol use by highschool seniors

The goal of this Phase II SBIR is to provide an efficient, engaging, and effective means to enhance parents’ ability to reduce prevalence of alcohol use and consequences, and other substance use through the development and evaluation of Parenting Now (PN). PN is a brief, interactive, self-paced, and digital curriculum for parents of high-school-aged adolescents, a frequently neglected population created from the evidence-based Parent Handbook,1-3 available in hard copy and DVD for college-bound youth only. The curriculum is needed because most parent-based prevention interventions target children or young adolescents, neglecting older adolescents, despite that fact that alcohol use increases in frequency and risk through mid- adolescence. Also, unlike other evidence-based parenting curricula, PN is brief, requires only the parents, does not require training, and can be used “on the go” through any digital device. This provides a market niche for the proposed project that addresses this curriculum gap through the innovative use of both technology and prevention science. During the successful Phase I, formative research was conducted to identify parent needs and interests, and a curriculum prototype was developed that demonstrated strong usability and feasibility. During Phase II, we work with Klein Buendel to refine and complete digital programing. The fully developed PN will have core and optional modules based on Phase I findings. This format will allow us to personalize or target parents based on their communication style and allows parents to customize their experience by choosing or clicking through the optional content. Personalization and customization are two essential engagement strategies for digital prevention interventions.4 Following development, a randomized clinical trial will be conducted through GfK Global. GfK will recruit a nationally representative sample of parent-adolescent dyads who will be randomly assigned to treatment or active control. Parents will complete either PN or be directed to the publicly available SAMSHA parenting materials as an active control condition. Parents also will complete an immediate posttest evaluating their intervention experience. Youth will complete a pretest, immediate posttest and follow-up posttests at 1 and 6 months to assess effects. A theoretical model of moderation and mediation also will be evaluated with alcohol use and consequences as the primary outcome and other substance use as secondary outcomes. Results will guide preparation of PN for the market including immediate dissemination through D.A.R.E. America’s new high school program as well as REAL Prevention’s other community- based partners such as 4-H and Planned Parenthood.This Phase II SBIR will evaluate an interactive, self-paced, digital parenting intervention, Parenting Now, to prevent youth alcohol use and prepare it for dissemination to youth community organizations and schools. Parenting Now is adapted from the evidence-based Parent Handbook and has the potential for wide impact on youth substance use through implementation in D.A.R.E., and REAL Prevention’s other partners while advancing our understanding of digital prevention strategies.