Home visit intervention reduces behavioral risks in American Indian teen moms and their infants

Image courtesy HHS Office on Women’s Health

Pregnant, American Indian teens receiving the home-based Family Spirit intervention -- lessons on parenting and maternal drug abuse prevention and life skills, delivered by trained Native paraprofessionals -- showed improvements 12-months postpartum in parenting knowledge and attitudes. In addition, their infants showed reductions in emotional and behavioral problems associated with an increased risk of future substance abuse.

This randomized controlled trial -- the gold standard of scientific research -- suggests that the Family Spirit intervention can help reduce maternal and early childhood behavior problems in American Indians, potentially impacting long-term public health and reducing the economic burden on under-resourced reservation communities.

For a copy of the NIDA-funded study, go to: http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleID=1390384.To read more about NIDA’s efforts to promote addiction science in American Indians and Alaska Natives, go to: www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/organization/offices/office-nida-director-od/special-populations-office-spo/american-indianalaska-native-aian-coor.