The moderating role of parental psychopathology on response to a family-based HIV prevention intervention among youth in psychiatric treatment

Abstract

Previous research suggests parents with mental health concerns are more likely to engage in maladaptive parenting practices and are less likely to benefit from parenting interventions. The current study examined the moderating influence of parent mental health problems on response to a family HIV prevention program delivered to youth in mental health treatment and their caregivers. The family intervention targeted parent-adolescent communication and parental monitoring. Study hypotheses were tested using general linear models at three- and six-month follow-ups. Tests of moderation were conducted by modeling the interaction between treatment condition (family versus control) and parental psychopathology controlling for other relevant psychosocial factors (i.e., single parenthood, income, and education). Parents with elevated psychiatric symptoms demonstrated greater improvements in sexual communication (three and six months) and parental monitoring (three months) following the family-based intervention. These results suggest that parents with mental health problems can benefit from a brief family HIV prevention program.