Brief Family-Based Cannabis Use Intervention for Youth With Early Juvenile Justice Involvement
Rhode Island Hospital
Summary
The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to learn if a brief family-based intervention in effective in reducing cannabis use and delinquency in youth participating in juvenile diversion. The main questions it aims to answer are: Hypothesis 1: the intervention will be (a) feasible, as evidenced by enrollment rates (\> 80%), follow-up rates (\> 80%), and withdrawal rates (\< 20%); and (b) acceptable, as evidenced by \> 80% of treatment evaluation ratings in the highest two Likert rating categories and positive exit interview feedback. Hypothesis 2: those parents in the experimental condition, as compared to the active comparison psychoeducation condition, will evidence greater improvement over time in the hypothesized family-level mechanisms proposed in the intervention (i.e., parenting practices and parent well-being) as well as in youth-level outcomes, including cannabis use, recidivism, and HIV/STI risk. Researchers will compare the family-based treatment to parenting psychoeducation. Caregiver and youth participants will complete measures relevant to primary outcomes and putative mechanisms at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups.
Description
Approximately 50% of youth with early juvenile justice system (JJS) involvement (i.e., diverted youth with less severe or first-time arrest histories) screen positive for cannabis use.Cannabis use is especially problematic for youth with early JJS involvement, given research suggesting that cannabis use is linked with continued and chronic involvement in the JJS. Moreover, cannabis use among justice-involved youth (JIY) is also associated with other consequences, including HIV/STI risk behaviors (e.g., lack of condom usage). Early JIY who use cannabis also differ from youth without justice inv…