Research Design & Number of Studies
The best evidence for Guiding Good Choices (GGC) in children aged 6-12 years comes from two internally conducted cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT). The first study included 429 families with 6th grade children (mean age 11.35 years) from thirty-three rural schools in USA (Mason et al., 2007; Spoth et al., 2004; Mason et al., 2003; Spoth et al., 2001). The second study 209 rural families with 6th and/or 7th grade children (approximately aged 11-13 years) from nine schools (Kosterman et al., 2001; Kosterman et al., 1997; Spoth et al., 1995). These nine schools were in six school districts located in two economically stressed American counties. All schools included in both studies were selected based on their eligibility for a federally supported school lunch programme.
Outcomes Achieved
Compared to the control group who did not receive the intervention, the following outcomes were observed:
Child Outcomes
• Significantly reduced scores on self-reported depressive symptoms at 6 years follow-up (Mason et al., 2007)
• Significantly slower rate of increase in substance use over 3.5 years of follow-up (Mason et al., 2003); and after 6 years of follow-up (Spoth et al., 2004)
• Significantly lower frequency of alcohol use in the last month at four years follow-up (Spoth et al., 2001)
• Significantly slower rate of linear increase in delinquency over 3.5 years of follow-up (Mason et al., 2003)
Parent Outcomes
• Significantly improved parenting behaviours (targeted by specific intervention sessions) (Kosterman et al., 2001), and protective parenting behaviours at post-test (Spoth et al., 1995)
• Significantly improved general child management skills at post-test (Spoth et al., 1995)
• Significantly better parent-child proactive communication at post-test (Kosterman et al., 1997)
• Significantly lower mother-child negative interaction at post-test (Kosterman et al., 1997)
• Significantly higher father-child relationship quality at post-test (Kosterman et al., 1997)
Key References
Mason, W. A., Kosterman, R., Hawkins, J. D., Haggerty, K. P., Spoth, R. L., & Redmond, C. (2007). Influence of a family-focused substance use preventive intervention on growth in adolescent depressive symptoms. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 17(3), 541-564
Spoth, R., Redmond, C., Shin, C., & Azevedo, K. (2004). Brief family intervention effects on adolescent substance initiation: School-level curvilinear growth curve analyses 6 years following baseline. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(3), 535-542.
Mason, W. A., Kosterman, R., Hawkins, J. D., Haggerty, K. P., & Spoth, R. L. (2003). Reducing adolescents' growth in substance use and delinquency: Randomized trial effects of a preventive parent-training intervention. Prevention Science, 4(3), 203-212.
Kosterman, R., Hawkins, J. D., Haggerty, K. P., Spoth, R., & Redmond, C. (2001). Preparing for the Drug Free Years: Session-specific effects of a universal parent-training intervention with rural families. Journal of Drug Education, 31(1), 47-68.
Spoth, R., Redmond, C., Shin, C. (2001). Randomized trial of brief family interventions for general populations: adolescent substance use outcomes 4 years following baseline. J Consult Clin Psychology, 69(4), 627-42.
Kosterman, R., Hawkins, J. D., Spoth, R., Haggerty, K., & Zhu, K. (1997). Effects of a preventive parent training intervention on observed family interactions: Proximal outcomes from Preparing for the Drug Free Years. Journal of Community Psychology, 25(3), 277-292.
Spoth, R., Redmond, C., Haggerty, K., & Ward, T. (1995). A controlled parenting skills outcome study examining individual difference and attendance effects. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57(2), 449-464.