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The Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth (SFP 10-14) resulted from an
adaption of the Strengthening Families Program (SFP), originally developed at the University of
Utah. Formerly called the Iowa Strengthening Families Program, the long-range goal for the
curriculum is reduced substance use and behavior problems during adolescence. Intermediate
objectives include improved skills in nurturing and child management by parents, and improved
interpersonal and personal competencies among youth. Parents of all educational levels are
targeted and printed materials for parents are written at an 8th grade reading level. All parent
sessions, two youth, and two family sessions use videotapes portraying prosocial behaviors and
are appropriate for multi-ethnic families.
The SFP 10-14 has seven two hour sessions for parents and youth, who attend separate skill-
building groups for the first hour and spend the second hour together in supervised family
activities. Four booster sessions are designed to be used six months to one year after the end of
the first seven sessions, in order to reinforce the skills gained in the original sessions. Youth
sessions focus on strengthening goal setting, dealing with stress and strong emotions,
communication skills, increasing responsible behavior, and improving skills to deal with peer
pressure. Youth Booster sessions focus on making good friends, handling conflict and
reinforcing skills learned in the first seven sessions. Parents discuss the importance of both
nurturing their youth while, at the same time, setting rules, monitoring compliance, and applying
appropriate discipline. Topics include making house rules, encouraging good behavior, using
consequences, building bridges, and protecting against substance abuse. Parent Booster
sessions focus on handling parents' stress, communicating when partners don't agree and
reinforcing earlier skills training.
Three controlled, longitudinal studies are underway. The first of these evaluated the Iowa
Strengthening Families Program or ISFP (the SFP 10-14 is a revision of the ISFP) with a sample
of families of sixth graders. There have been a large number of statistically significant ISFP
intervention effects on primary child and parent outcomes through the twelfth-grade follow-up
assessment, four years following the pre-test. Key findings from intervention versus control
comparisons include, but are not limited to: 1) positive effects on parenting behaviors directly
targeted by the ISFP through the eighth-grade follow-up; 2) improvement in peer resistance skills
and reduction in affiliations with anti-social peers at the seventh, eighth, and tenth grade
follow-ups; 3) lower probabilities of initiating any type of substance use between the seventh and eighth
grades, as indicated by latent transition analyses; 4) lower proportions of twelfth-grade adolescents
reporting lifetime use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana; 5) lower rates of growth in alcohol
initiation, through the twelfth-grade follow-up, as indicated by growth curve analyses; 6) lower past
month frequency of cigarette use in the tenth grade.
A second study, now in its sixth year, includes three groups of families: 1) those whose youth
receive the Life Skills Training (LST) intervention in school; 2) those whose families participate in
the SFP 10-14, in addition to the LST; and 3) those whose families receive written materials. A
third study includes African-American families who take part in the SFP 10-14 or participate in a
wait-list control condition.
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Implementation Costs:
Costs include one manual for each of three facilitators and a set of videotapes. A set of nine
videotapes, used in sessions 1 - 7 cost $250 plus shipping (VID 8). The 415-page manual is
$175 (SF2). Each facilitator needs a manual. Thus, the total teaching package for sessions 1-7 is
$775. The manual includes masters for all handouts, game cards, and posters. Teaching materials
for four booster sessions include a manual for $50 and two videotapes for $60. An optional
promotional videotape showing families taking part in program activities is $10 plus shipping and
colorful brochures to use in recruitment are $.25 each. Add shipping costs to all materials
ordered. All materials are available through
Extension Distribution Center
119 Kooser Drive,
Iowa State University,
Ames, IA 50011
For payment specifics please call (515) 294-5247.
Unless volunteer facilitators or paid staff are available, costs include honoraria for three
facilitators, two for youth sessions and one for parent sessions. All three staff interact with
families during the family session. Optional additional staff may include family recruiters and a
person who arranges meals, sets up equipment, and finds child care personnel. Required
supplies include name tags, tape, newsprint, tag board, markers, scissors, glue sticks, as well as
various materials that may be borrowed such as clothesline and clothespins and a blanket or
sheet. Incentives for participation are optional and may include coupons for groceries or fast
food, family games, or snacks. Childcare should be provided for younger children and
transportation may also be provided. A simple meal before the program or snacks during the
family session is recommended.
Training Costs:
Two- and three-day trainings are available on site. Cost for two day is $2500 and for three days, $3500.
Three-day trainings are recommended for groups conducting scientific evaluations of the program or for those
needing to make adaptations for ethnic groups such as non-English-speaking parents. One trainer can teach
up to 12 indidviduals and two trainers are required for groups of 13 up to 30. The training fee does not
include the cost of teaching manuals or videos.
Additional costs for each training include travel, lodging, and per diem for food. Individuals
within an organization can become certified trainers by taking part in a specified series of train-the-trainer
workshops.
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