Strong African American Families
Strong African American Families (SAAF) is a 7-session, group-based parenting program designed for families with youth ages 10–14. SAAF aims to build on the strengths of African American families to prevent substance use and other risky behaviors. The program focuses on strengthening parental monitoring and involvement, improving communication about sex and substance use, and providing positive racial socialization. SAAF promotes youth goal-setting and attainment, resistance of risky behaviors, and acceptance of parental influences. Each 2-hour session has two parts. In the first hour, youth and caregivers meet in separate groups for activities, discussion, and skill-building. In the second hour, youth and caregivers come back together for activities with their family and the larger group.
SAAF is rated as a well-supported practice because at least two studies with non-overlapping samples carried out in usual care or practice settings achieved a rating of moderate or high on design and execution and demonstrated favorable effects in a target outcome domain. At least one of the studies demonstrated a sustained favorable effect of at least 12 months beyond the end of treatment on at least one target outcome.
Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed: Sep 2022
Sources
The program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information were informed by the following sources: the program or service manual, the program or service developer’s website, and the studies reviewed.
This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, visit the Review Process page or download the Handbook.
Target Population
SAAF is designed to serve families with youth ages 10–14 who identify as being African American or Black.
Dosage
SAAF is delivered over seven weekly 2-hour group sessions. Sessions typically consist of groups of 6–8 families, and up to a maximum of 12 families.
Location/Delivery Setting
Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings
SAAF is delivered in community settings.
Location/Delivery Settings Observed in the Research
- Community Center (e.g., religious or recreational facility)
Education, Certifications and Training
SAAF is delivered by certified SAAF facilitators. Sites implementing SAAF are required to have at least five certified facilitators. Each session is intended to be led by a team of three certified facilitators. In the first hour of the program, two facilitators lead the youth-only content while the third facilitator leads the caregiver-only content. In the second hour of the program, all three facilitators work together to implement the family content. To become certified as a SAAF facilitator, individuals must complete a 3-day “training of facilitators” led by a certified agency trainer.
To become certified as an agency trainer, certified SAAF facilitators must (1) complete an additional “training of trainer” training; (2) implement the full SAAF program at least two times as a parent or caregiver facilitator and at least two times as a youth facilitator; and (3) submit videos of session implementation, self-evaluation forms, and fidelity observation forms for select sessions.
Program or Service Documentation
Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review
Molgaard, V. K., Gerrard, M., & Gibbons, F. X. (2016). Strong African American Families Program. Center for Family Research, University of Georgia.
Available languages
SAAF materials are available in English.
Other supporting materials
Strong African American Families. (2021). SAAF site resource manual. Center for Family Research, University of Georgia.
For More Information
Website: https://cfr.uga.edu/saaf-programs/saaf/
Phone: (706) 425-2992
Contact Form: https://cfr.uga.edu/contact-us/
Note: The details on Dosage; Location; Education, Certifications, and Training; Other Supporting Materials; and For More Information sections above are provided to website users for informational purposes only. This information is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.
| Results of Search and Review | Number of Studies Identified and Reviewed for Strong African American Families |
|---|---|
| Identified in Search | 3 |
| Eligible for Review | 3 |
| Rated High | 1 |
| Rated Moderate | 2 |
| Rated Low | 0 |
| Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm | 0 |
| Outcome | Effect Size
 and Implied Percentile Effect
|
N of Studies (Findings) | N of Participants | Summary of Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child well-being: Behavioral and emotional functioning |
0.31
12 |
2 (8) | 1267 |
Favorable:
4 No Effect: 4 Unfavorable: 0 |
| Child well-being: Social functioning |
0.21
8 |
2 (2) | 736 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 2 Unfavorable: 0 |
| Child well-being: Physical development and health |
0.01
0 |
1 (1) | 284 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 1 Unfavorable: 0 |
| Child well-being: Substance use |
0.14
5 |
2 (4) | 516 |
Favorable:
3 No Effect: 1 Unfavorable: 0 |
| Adult well-being: Positive parenting practices |
0.26
10 |
2 (14) | 785 |
Favorable:
8 No Effect: 6 Unfavorable: 0 |
| Adult well-being: Family functioning |
0.10
3 |
1 (2) | 320 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 2 Unfavorable: 0 |
Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group. Effect sizes for some outcomes were not able to be calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse.
| Outcome | Effect Size
and Implied Percentile Effect
|
N of Studies (Findings) | N of Participants | Summary of Findings |
Months after treatment when outcome measured
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child well-being: Behavioral and emotional functioning |
0.31
12 |
2 (8) | 1267 |
Favorable:
4 No Effect: 4 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Brody, 2004 | |||||
| Goal-Directed Future Orientation |
0.36
*
14 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Resistance Efficacy |
0.20
8 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Brody, 2005 | |||||
| Children’s Self-Control Scale: Self-Control |
0.04
1 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Children’s Self-Control Scale: Lack of Self-Control |
0.18
7 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Brody, 2008 | |||||
| National Youth Survey: Conduct Problems |
0.43
*
16 |
- | 482 | - | 25 |
| Kogan, 2016 | |||||
| Tolerance of Deviance Scale |
0.32
*
12 |
- | 416 | - | 3 |
| Intervention-Targeted Self-Regulatory Processes |
0.22
*
8 |
- | 465 | - | 3 |
| Murry, 2005 | |||||
| Sexual Self-Concept Inventory: Positive Body Image |
0.12
4 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Child well-being: Social functioning |
0.21
8 |
2 (2) | 736 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 2 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Kogan, 2016 | |||||
| Peer Behavior |
0.17
6 |
- | 416 | - | 3 |
| Murry, 2005 | |||||
| Sexual Self-Concept Inventory: Sexual Social Comparison |
0.26
10 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Child well-being: Physical development and health |
0.01
0 |
1 (1) | 284 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 1 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Murry, 2007 | |||||
| Sexual Risk Behavior |
0.01
0 |
- | 284 | - | 25 |
| Child well-being: Substance use |
0.14
5 |
2 (4) | 516 |
Favorable:
3 No Effect: 1 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Brody, 2006a | |||||
| Alcohol Use Initiation |
0.72
*
26 |
- | 305 | - | 3 |
| Alcohol Use Initiation |
0.51
*
19 |
- | 305 | - | 25 |
| Alcohol Composite Index |
0.28
*
11 |
- | 305 | - | 25 |
| Kogan, 2019 | |||||
| Alcohol Use (Frequency in Past 3 Months) |
-0.10
-4 |
- | 211 | - | 8 |
| Adult well-being: Positive parenting practices |
0.26
10 |
2 (14) | 785 |
Favorable:
8 No Effect: 6 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Brody, 2004 | |||||
| Expectations for Alcohol Use |
0.70
*
25 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Brody, 2006b | |||||
| Racial Socialization Scale (Youth Report) |
0.20
8 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Nurturant–Involved Parenting (Youth Report) |
0.08
3 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Consistent Rules |
0.47
*
17 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Youths' Parenting Assessments |
Favorable
*
not calculated |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Gerrard, 2006 | |||||
| Nurturant–Involved Parenting (Parent Report) |
0.20
8 |
- | 281 | - | 3 |
| Parental Monitoring |
0.12
4 |
- | 281 | - | 3 |
| Clear Expectations About Alcohol |
0.17
6 |
- | 281 | - | 3 |
| Intervention-Targeted Parenting Behaviors |
0.31
*
11 |
- | 281 | - | 3 |
| Kogan, 2016 | |||||
| Intervention-Targeted Parenting |
0.22
*
8 |
- | 465 | - | 3 |
| Murry, 2005 | |||||
| Involved, Nurturant Parenting |
0.19
7 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Racial Socialization Scale (Parent Report) |
0.38
*
14 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Parental Communication About Sex Scale |
0.42
*
16 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Expectations About Alcohol and Other Drugs |
0.49
*
18 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Adult well-being: Family functioning |
0.10
3 |
1 (2) | 320 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 2 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Brody, 2005 | |||||
| Interaction Behavior Questionnaire |
0.15
6 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
| Carver Social Support Scales: Parental Support |
0.05
1 |
- | 320 | - | 3 |
*p <.05
Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group. Effect sizes and implied percentile effects were calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse as described in the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Section 5.10.4 and may not align with effect sizes reported in individual publications. Effect sizes for some outcomes were not able to be calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse.
Only publications with eligible contrasts that met design and execution standards are included in the individual study findings table.
Full citations for the studies shown in the table are available in the "Studies Reviewed" section.
Studies Rated High
Study 14224Kogan, S. M., Lei, M.-K., Brody, G. H., Futris, T. G., Sperr, M., & Anderson, T. (2016). Implementing family-centered prevention in rural African American communities: A randomized effectiveness trial of the Strong African American Families Program. Prevention Science, 17(2), 248-258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-015-0614-3
Studies Rated Moderate
Study 14369Kogan, S. M., Bae, D., Lei, M. K., & Brody, G. H. (2019). Family-centered alcohol use prevention for African American adolescents: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 87(12), 1085-1092. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000448
Study 14223Brody, G. H., Murry, V. M., Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F. X., Molgaard, V., McNair, L., Brown, A. C., Wills, T. A., Spoth, R. L., Luo, Z. Chen, Y.-f., & Neubaum-Carlan, E. (2004). The Strong African American Families Program: Translating research into prevention programming. Child Development, 75(3), 900-917. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00713.x
Brody, G. H., Murry, V. M., Kogan, S. M., Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F. X., Molgaard, V., Brown, A. C., Anderson, T., Chen, Y.-f., Luo, Z., & Wills, T. A. (2006a). The Strong African American Families Program: A cluster-randomized prevention trial of long-term effects and a mediational model. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(2), 356-366. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006x.74.2.356
Brody, G. H., Murry, V. M., Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F. X., McNair, L., Brown, A. C., Wills, T. A., Molgaard, V., Spoth, R. L., Luo, Z., & Chen, Y.-f. (2006b). The Strong African American Families Program: Prevention of youths' high-risk behavior and a test of a model of change. Journal of Family Psychology, 20(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.20.1.1
Beach, S. R. H., Kogan, S. M., Brody, G. H., Chen, Y.-f., Lei, M.-K., & Murry, V. M. (2008). Change in caregiver depression as a function of the Strong African American Families Program. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(2), 241-252. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.22.2.241
Brody, G. H., Kogan, S. M., Chen, Y.-f., & Murry, V. M. (2008). Long-term effects of the Strong African American Families Program on youths' conduct problems. Journal of Adolescent Health, 43(5), 474-481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.04.016
Murry, V. M., McNair, L. D., Myers, S. S., Chen, Y.-f., & Brody, G. H. (2014). Intervention induced changes in perceptions of parenting and risk opportunities among rural African American. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 23(2), 422-436. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9714-5
Brody, G. H., Yu, T., Chen, E., Beach, S. R., & Miller, G. E. (2016). Family-centered prevention ameliorates the longitudinal association between risky family processes and epigenetic aging. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(5), 566-574. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12495
Brody, G. H., McBride Murry, V., McNair, L., Chen, Y.-f., Gibbons, F. X., Gerrard, M., & Ashby Wills, T. (2005). Linking changes in parenting to parent-child relationship quality and youth self-control: The Strong African American Families Program. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 15(1), 47-69. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2005.00086.x
Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F. X., Brody, G. H., Murry, V. M., Cleveland, M. J., & Wills, T. A. (2006). A theory-based dual-focus alcohol intervention for preadolescents: The Strong African American Families Program. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 20(2), 185-195. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-164X.20.2.185
Murry, V. M., Berkel, C., Brody, G. H., Gibbons, M., & Gibbons, F. X. (2007). The Strong African American Families Program: Longitudinal pathways to sexual risk reduction. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41(4), 333-342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.04.003
Murry, V. M., Berkel, C., Chen, Y.-f., Brody, G. H., Gibbons, F. X., & Gerrard, M. (2011). Intervention induced changes on parenting practices, youth self-pride and sexual norms to reduce HIV-related behaviors among rural African American youths. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40(9), 1147-1163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-011-9642-x
Murry, V. M., Brody, G. H., McNair, L. D., Luo, Z., Gibbons, F. X., Gerrard, M., & Wills, T. A. (2005). Parental involvement promotes rural African American youths' self-pride and sexual self-concepts. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67(3), 627-642. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2005.00158.x
Wills, T. A., Murry, V. M., Brody, G. H., Gibbons, F. X., Gerrard, M., Walker, C., & Ainette, M. G. (2007). Ethnic pride and self-control related to protective and risk factors: Test of the theoretical model for the Strong African American Families Program. Health Psychology, 26(1), 50-59. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.26.1.50