Parent and Teen Engagement in Smart Choices 4 Teens to Address Teen Alcohol Use and Relationships

Understanding the predictors of family engagement in interventions can inform strategies to enhance participation and completion. While prior research has explored engagement in traditional face-to-face programs, less is known about how to engage both parents and teens in technology-assisted, family-based interventions. This study examines parent and teen (ages 16 –17) engagement in Smart Choices 4 Teens, a web-based family intervention addressing underage drinking and romantic relationships. Family engagement was defined and measured across three key dimensions: initiation, retention, and completion of the intervention. Data were drawn from baseline surveys of families assigned to the experimental condition in a randomized controlled trial testing the intervention’s efficacy. Overall, 39.3% of families completed the intervention. Parents who held positive expectations regarding alcohol communications with their teens were nearly three times more likely to initiate the intervention (OR = 2.92, 95% CI [1.10, 7.76], p = 0.03). Parents who reported higher alcohol communication self-efficacy were significantly more likely to complete the intervention (OR = 3.32, 95% CI [1.14, 9.69], p = 0.03). Teens’ perceptions of open communication with their parents were significantly associated with retention (β = 0.38, p = 0.03), and showed a positive trend toward predicting completion (OR = 1.54, 95% CI [0.95, 2.49], p = 0.08). Significant predictors of engagement varied across domains of initiation, retention, and completion, and differed between parents and teens. Such insights highlight the importance of tailored strategies to enhance participation, improving the reach and effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing high-risk behaviors in older adolescents.