An Attachment Parenting Intervention to Prevent Adolescents' Problem Behaviors: A Pilot Study in Italy.

Background: In spite of the proven effectiveness of parenting based programs to prevent adolescent risk behaviors, such programs are rarely implemented in Mediterranean countries. Objective: This pilot study was aimed at assessing the feasibility and the effects of a parenting based universal prevention program (Connect) in Italy. Methods: Our sample comprised 147 mothers and 147 youths, aged 11-14 (M = 12.46, SD = .72). We adopted a quasi-experimental design. Forty percent of the parents in the sample were in the intervention condition (receiving 10 one hour lessons a week). ANCOVAs and Cohen's d coefficients were used to compute intervention effects. Results: The results showed that, despite difficulty in recruiting parents, the program held promising effects regarding the prevention of alcohol use at a universal level (Cohen's d = .55); the intervention also marginally decreased the level of non-empathic answers from parents, at least in the short term (Cohen's d = .32). Conclusions: This study highlighted the importance of focusing on families to prevent problem behaviors in adolescence. It also points to the need for new strategies to engage parents in universal prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]