Studies - Familias Unidas

Studies With Open Recruitment

Promoting Health and Reducing Risk among Hispanic Sexual Minority Youth and their Families

Principal Investigator: Guillermo Prado

Funding Source: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Project Period: 4/1/22 23 – 3/31/28   

Hispanic teens who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual often report more drug use and depression than other teens. Things can get even worse when they tell their parents and their parents react in an unaccepting way. When that happens, families may struggle with communication and support, and teens may feel stressed or rejected. Some parents simply don’t know how to respond in a helpful way, and teens may not have the skills to cope with negative reactions. Because of this, we need programs that help families support these youth.

This study will test whether a parenting program called Familias con Orgullo works better than usual community services at reducing drug use and depression in Hispanic sexual minority youth over 30 months. It will also examine whether improvements happen because parents become more accepting and supportive, family relationships improve, and teens experience less stress and discrimination.

Related publications for this study:

Estrada, Y., Lozano, A., Tapia, M.I., Fernandez, A., Harkness, A., Scott, D., Lee, T.K., Rahman, A., & Prado, G. (2024). Familias con Orgullo: Pilot study of a family intervention for Latinx sexual minority youth to prevent drug use, sexual risk behavior, and depressive symptoms. Prevention Science, 25(7), 1079–1090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-024-01724-4

Lozano, A., Estrada, Y., Scott, D., Tapia, M.I., Santos, H.P., Carrico, A.W., Zolobczuk, J., Manker, A., & Prado, G. (2023). Familias con Orgullo: Study Protocol for an efficacy study of a family-based intervention for Hispanic sexual minority youth. PLOS One, 18(12), e0295683. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295683

Lozano, A., Estrada, Y., Tapia, M., Dave, D.J., Márquez, N., Baudin, S., & Prado, G. (2022). Development of a family-based preventive intervention for Hispanic sexual minority youth and their parents. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 28, 227 - 239. doi: 10.1037/cdp0000506.

Ongoing Studies Without Open Recruitment

Scaling a Parenting EBI for Latinx Youth Mental Health in Primary Care

Principal Investigators: Guillermo Prado, PhD & C Hendricks Brown

Funding Source:   National Institute of Mental Health/NIH

Project Period: 8/16/2021 – 8/15/25   

This study tests an online family program, eHealth Familias Unidas, in primary care clinics to help Hispanic youth struggling with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, or drug misuse.

Across 18 clinics, families are gradually enrolled to see how well the program works in real-world settings. The study will examine whether the program reduces depression, anxiety, suicidal behaviors, and drug misuse. It will also look at whether improvements happen because family communication gets better, and whether results differ depending on parent depression or how well clinics deliver the program. Youth are assessed at the start, and again 3, 6, and 18 months later.

Completed Studies

EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN EHEALTH EBI FOR LATINO YOUTH IN PRIMARY CARE

Principal Investigator: Guillermo Prado, Ph.D.

Grant #: R01 DA040756

Funding Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse /NIH

Project Period: 07/01/16 – 4/30/22

Goal: The goal of this study is to test the effectiveness of eHealth Familias Unidas in pediatric primary care settings.

FAMILIAS UNIDAS STAGE III: PREVENTING SUBSTANCE USE IN HISPANIC YOUTH

Principal Investigator: Guillermo Prado, Ph.D. (30% effort)

Grant #: R01 DA025192

Funding Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse /NIH

Project Period: 12/15/08 – 3/30/15 (NCE)

The goal of this study was to test the effectiveness of Familias Unidas in a large school system and delivered by school personnel.

PREVENTING HIV IN HISPANIC ADOLESCENTS VIA AN INTERNET-BASED FAMILY INTERVENTION

Principal Investigator: Yannine Estrada, Ph.D.

Grant #: U01PS003316

Funding Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Project Period: 1/1/12 – 12/31/17

The goal of this study was to develop and test an Internet adaptation of the Familias Unidas intervention, eHealth Familias Unidas, with 230 families recruited from middle schools.

PREVENTING HIV RISK BEHAVIORS IN HISPANIC ADOLESCENTS

Principal Investigator: Guillermo Prado, Ph.D.

Grant #: U01PS0000671

Funding Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Project Period: 9/30/07 – 3/1/14

PREVENTING DRUG ABUSE AND HIV IN HISPANIC FIRST OFFENDERS

Principal Investigator: Guillermo Prado, Ph.D.

Grant #: R01 DA025894

Funding Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse /NIH

Project Period: 8/1/09 – 3/30/13