ATTAIN (COMPLETED)

Alcohol Treatment Targeting Adolescents In Need (ATTAIN) was a 5-year R01 study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA; 5R01AA012180-01) which provided individual and family community-based interventions primarily to Hispanic/Latinx, Haitian, and African-American adolescent offenders with alcohol and drug problems. The study focused on implementing interventions that are compatible with these specific populations and into account acculturation and social factors related to ethnic/cultural minorities. Maintaining community-based clinics was an important component as this research study tried to overcome barriers that had prevented minority youth and their families from participating in interventions in the past. The aim of the study was to develop more effective interventions for adolescents, and particularly minority juvenile offenders, with alcohol problems. Juvenile offenders with substance use problems showed higher rates of offending, more violent offenses, and more chronic substance use problems.

Principal Investigator: Eric Wagner, Ph.D.

Co-Investigators: Andres Gil, Ph.D. & Jonathan Tubman, Ph.D.

References:

• Austin, A., Hospital, M., Wagner, E.F., & Morris, S.L. (2010). Motivation for reducing substance use among minority adolescents: Targets for intervention. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 39(4), 399-407. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2010.07.008

• Austin, A., & Wagner, E.F. (2010). Treatment attrition among racial and ethnic minority youth. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 10(1), 63-80. doi:10.1080/1533256903517167

• Austin, A., & Wagner, E. F. (2006). Correlates of treatment retention among multi-ethnic youth with substance use problems: Initial examination of ethnic group differences. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 15(3), 105-128. doi:10.1300/J029v15n03_07