Strong African American Families – Teen

Mental Health Substance Use Prevention or Treatment Does Not Currently Meet Criteria

Strong African American Families – Teen (SAAF-T) is a 5-session, group-based adaptation of the SAAF parenting program designed for families with youth ages 14–16. SAAF-T aims to build on the strengths of African American families to prevent substance use and other risky youth behaviors. The program focuses on strengthening parental monitoring and involvement, communicating with youth about sex and substance use, engaging in cooperative problem-solving, and providing positive racial socialization. SAAF-T promotes youth goal-setting and attainment, resistance of involvement in risky behaviors, strategies for addressing experiences of racism, 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, families come back together for activities with their family and the larger group. 


SAAF-T does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies met eligibility criteria for review.


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 and the program or service developer’s website.


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-T is designed to serve families with youth ages 14–16 who identify as being African American or Black. 

Dosage

SAAF-T is delivered over five weekly 2-hour 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-T is delivered in community settings.

Education, Certifications and Training

SAAF-T is delivered by certified SAAF-T facilitators. Sites implementing SAAF-T 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-T 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., Renfro, T., & Stewart, L. (2014). Strong African American Families Teen Program. Center for Family Research, University of Georgia.

Available languages

 SAAF-T materials are available in English.

Other supporting materials

Strong African American Families. (2017). SAAF-T site resource manual. Center for Family Research, University of Georgia.

Training Information 

For More Information

Website: https://cfr.uga.edu/saaf-programs/saaf-t/  

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 – Teen
Identified in Search 1
Eligible for Review 0
Rated High 0
Rated Moderate 0
Rated Low 0
Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm 0
Sometimes study results are reported in more than one document, or a single document reports results from multiple studies. Studies are identified below by their Prevention Services Clearinghouse study identification numbers. To receive a rating of supported or well-supported, the favorable evidence for a program or service must have been obtained from research conducted in a usual care or practice setting.




Studies Not Eligible for Review

Study 14225

Brody, G. H., Chen, Y.-f., Kogan, S. M., Yu, T., Molgaard, V. K., DiClemente, R. J., & Wingood, G. M. (2012). Family-centered program deters substance use, conduct problems, and depressive symptoms in Black adolescents. Pediatrics, 129(1), 108-115. https://doi.org/10.1542%2Fpeds.2011-0623

Kogan, S. M., Brody, G. H., Molgaard, V. K., Grange, C. M., Oliver, D. A. H., Anderson, T. N., DiClemente, R. J., Wingood, G. M., Chen, Y.-f., & Sperr, M. C. (2012). The Strong African American Families-Teen trial: Rationale, design, engagement processes, and family-specific effects. Prevention Science, 13(2), 206-217. https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs11121-011-0257-y

Kogan, S. M., Yu, T., Brody, G. H., Chen, Y.-f., DiClemente, R. J., Wingood, G. M., & Corso, P. S. (2012). Integrating condom skills into family-centered prevention: Efficacy of the Strong African American Families-Teen Program. Journal of Adolescent Health, 51(2) 164-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.11.022

This study is ineligible for review because it does not use an eligible study design (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.4).