Strengthening the Bonds of Chicano Youth and Families
An Evidence-Based Practice
This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.
Description
Strengthening the Bonds of Chicano Youth (El Proyecto de Nuestra Juventud) is a comprehensive, multilevel, community-based, and culturally appropriate program designed to meet the prevention needs of rural Chicano youth in Central Arizona who demonstrate high-risk characteristics of substance abuse. The program is rooted in a family-oriented approach that is based on Mexican-American culture, values, and principles. Based on the theoretical framework of Hawkins and Catalano, the interventions addressed four life domains: family, individual/peer, school, and neighborhood/community. The project uses a combination of culturally appropriate interventions for youth and families. Family interventions include camps (campamentos) and informal talks (platicas). Youth interventions include peer support groups and workshops. Community interventions include a homework center, a mural project, and a theatre project.
Goal / Mission
The goal of this project was to prevent substance abuse among high-risk youth in Arizona.
Impact
Participants in the experimental group experienced significant differences in family relations, significant decrease in alcohol and other drugs, and also a significant decrease of alcohol use by family members. Participants of the control group did not experience similar impacts.
Results / Accomplishments
The project used a quasi-experimental design using a set of three cohorts. Each of the experimental groups was administered a pretest before intervention and a posttest afterward. The control group received no interventions, completing only the pretest and the follow-up posttest to determine any significant differences from the two experimental cohorts. The major significant findings include the following:
- A significant difference was found comparing pretest and posttest scores for the experimental group on family relations, but not for the control group.
- The level of drug use decreased for the experimental group, with significant differences for alcohol and other drugs. No significant difference was shown for the control group for these drug categories. A significant difference was also found in the experimental group regarding alcohol use by family members. Family member drinking was reported to decrease among the experimental group and to increase among the control group.
- There was a substantial increase in parental drug knowledge in several areas.
- A significant difference was found comparing pretest and posttest scores for the experimental group on family relations, but not for the control group.
- The level of drug use decreased for the experimental group, with significant differences for alcohol and other drugs. No significant difference was shown for the control group for these drug categories. A significant difference was also found in the experimental group regarding alcohol use by family members. Family member drinking was reported to decrease among the experimental group and to increase among the control group.
- There was a substantial increase in parental drug knowledge in several areas.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Pinal Hispanic Council
Primary Contact
Ralph Varela, C.M.S.W.
Pinal Hispanic Council
712 North Main Street
Eloy, AZ 85231-2037
(520) 466-7765
warriors@cgmailbox.com
http://www.pinalhispaniccouncil.org/
Pinal Hispanic Council
712 North Main Street
Eloy, AZ 85231-2037
(520) 466-7765
warriors@cgmailbox.com
http://www.pinalhispaniccouncil.org/
Topics
Community / Social Environment
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Organization(s)
Pinal Hispanic Council
Source
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Model Programs Guide (MPG)
Date of publication
2001
Geographic Type
Rural
Location
Eloy, AZ
For more details
Target Audience
Children, Teens, Families