The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is an evidence-based family skills training program found to significantly reduce problem behaviors, delinquency, and substance use in children and to improve social competencies and school performance. Child maltreatment also decreases as parents strengthen bonds with their children and learn more effective parenting skills.
SFP is a 14-session program specifically designed for high-risk families. It includes parenting skills, children’s social skills, and family life skills training. Parents and children participate in SFP, both separately and together.
The original Strengthening Families Program lessons have been evaluated in non-experimental and quasi-experimental studies in 17 countries; and in randomized control trials (RCTs) in nine countries with different cultural groups by independent evaluators. Using documented evaluation tools, SFP skills-training proved to be effective in reducing multiple risk factors for later alcohol and drug abuse, mental health problems, and delinquency. Participants reported:
- Increased family bonding
- Increased parental involvement
- Increased positive parenting skills
- Increase positive communication
- Increased family organization
- Decreased family conflict
- Decreased youth depression
- Decreased youth aggression
- Increased youth cooperation
- Increased number of prosocial friends
- Increased youth social competencies
- Increased youth school grades
To learn more about SFP, find a trained provider, or get clinical training in SFP, visit the link below: