Conclusions
We have demonstrated in this study that a randomized trial of a prevention program designed to enhance supportive parenting reduced cotinine levels among young African American adults. The developmentally appropriate family-centered intervention buffered the risk of smoking 9 years after program participation.
Methods
African American parents and their 11-year-old children in the rural southern United States were assigned randomly to the Strong African American Families program or to a control condition. Parents provided self-reported data on supportive parenting when the youth were 11 and 16 years of age. When the youth were 20 years of age, blood was drawn from which cotinine was assayed.
Results
Intervention program participants (M = 0.672, SD = 0.048) displayed significantly lower cotinine levels at age 20 years than did control participants (M = 0.824, SD = 0.059), P = .046. Mediation analyses confirmed that increases in supportive parenting accounted for intervention effects on smoking. Conclusions: We have demonstrated in this study that a randomized trial of a prevention program designed to enhance supportive parenting reduced cotinine levels among young African American adults. The developmentally appropriate family-centered intervention buffered the risk of smoking 9 years after program participation.