Strengthening Families in North Brunswick By: Daniella Franov, Wellspring Center for Prevention

Purpose

Significance

Methodology Outcomes

Evaluations

Acknowledgments    

•  To  give  families  techniques  and  knowledge  on  ways  to  help  strengthen  the  family  dynamic,  which  lowers  the  level  of  substance  usage  in  youth,  during  an  evidence-­‐based  training  program  

•  70%  of  high  school  students  will  have  tried  alcohol  

•  50%  will  have  taken  an  illegal  drug  

•  40%  will  have  smoked  a  cigarette    •  20%  will  have  used  a  prescription  drug  for  a  

nonmedical  purpose  

•   59.8%  of  teenagers  who  spoke  about  substance  abuse  were  less  likely  to  use  

•  Research  shows,  parents  are  the  strongest  influence  in  their  children’s  lives  

•  Parents  need  to  have  the  skills  to  maximize  their  positive  influence  

•  Youth  gain  confidence  to  resist  actions  with  negative  consequences  

•  Families  scored  an  average  of  12.4%  higher  on  the  post-­‐test  

 •  Family  dynamic  improved  to  have  

positive  family  interaction    •  Observable  improvement  in  the  

interaction  between  the  families  by  facilitators  

•  I  would  like  to  thank  my  preceptors,  Ezra  Helfand  and  Helen  Varvi,  Wellspring  Center  for  Prevention,  for  giving  their  time  while  working  with  me.  I  would  also  like  to  thank  the  rest  of  the  Wellspring  staff  for  an  enjoyable  internship  as  well  as  Kamila  Pavezzi  for  teaching  me  important  life  lessons.  

•  Families  were  given  a  pretest  the  first  week  

•  Families  learned:    

ü  About  each  member  through  activities  

ü  Communication  skills  through  videos  and  activities  

ü  Techniques  that  create  a  healthy  family  dynamic  

ü  How  to  cope  with  stresses  that  each  family  member  may  have  

ü  How  to  manage  and  resist  peer  pressure  

•  Families  were  given  a  post-­‐test  during  the  final  week,  7th  week  

•  Families  returned  for  a  booster  session  a  month  later  

36.4%  (4)

36.4%  (4)  

 

27.2%  (3)

Pre-­‐test  

<80% 80-90% >90%

42.9%  (3) 57.1%  

(4)

Post-­‐test  

92-97% 98%>

•  All  of  the  families  scored  above  90%  on  the  post-­‐test  

*pictured  above  are  families  and  staff  willing  to  be  pictured*