Latino Adolescent Substance Abusers and the Impact of Caregiver Participation on Treatment Outcome: Self-Efficacy, Substance Use Severity, and Level of Caregiver Participation

This study sought to examine the role of Latino caregiver participation in Latino adolescent treatment outcome and adolescent self-efficacy to remain abstinent from substance use. The Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) and the Assertive Continuing Care (ACC) treatment were used on this sample. The sample was comprised of 112 adolescents and 76 caregivers. Pearson's r correlational measures were used to assess the relationship between caregiver participation and adolescent self-efficacy, as well as the relationship between self-efficacy levels and substance use severity at Intake, three, six and twelve months. Independent samples t test was used to measure mean differences in self-efficacy by caregiver gender. Adolescent self-efficacy was not significantly correlated to caregiver participation except at six months. Significance at six months indicated adolescent self-efficacy increases as caregiver participation increases. Further, adolescent self-efficacy increases as substance use severity decreased. Differences in mean scores for adolescent self-efficacy depending on caregiver gender were statistically significant at intake, three and six months. The results of this research suggest effective treatment modalities for Latino adolescents with substance use issues.