Strong African American Families Teen Program

The Strong African American Families – Teen Program (SAAF-T) is a 5 session program designed for teens aged 14 – 16 and their caregivers. The goal of SAAF-T is to build on the strengths of African American families in order promote positive development throughout the teenage years. SAAF-T focuses on reducing risks that can get in the way of positive development, with a focus on reducing substance abuse and sexual risk-taking that can lead to HIV and other STIs.

Teen Topics

Likes, Choices, and Goals
Money, Jobs, and the Future
Job Choices, Pay, and Education
Choices and Consequences about Sex
Goals for the Future and Barriers to Goals

Caregiver Topics

Parenting Teens
Helping Teens Move toward Adulthood
Caregivers’ Involvement in School
Helping Teens with Peer Pressure and Temptations
Helping Teens Succeed in School

Family Topics

Building Strong African American Families
Getting Along Away from Home and at Home
Getting Ahead in the World
Helping Teens Succeed in School
Appreciating Each Other and Reaching Goals

Compared to teens that did not participate in the SAAF-T Program, teens who did participate:

Demonstrated fewer conduct problems
Had less frequent substance use
Had fewer substance use problems
Experienced reduced depressive symptoms
Decreased frequency of unprotected intercourse
Increased condom efficacy

Caregivers experienced improved caregiving practices such as enhanced:

Communication about risky behavior
Problem solving between parents and teens
Parental monitoring
Support for teen’s academic engagement
Racial socialization practices including instilling racial pride and teaching strategies for dealing with discrimination

Testimonies from SAAF-T Participants: What did you learn in the SAAF-T Programs?

Teen Responses:

How to make better decisions when it comes to sex, relationships and money management.
How to handle problems I might have and who to talk to about these problems.
How to make my own decisions and what it’s like to pay your own bills.
I understand that there can be serious consequences to having sex.
I learned new things about what you should know about having sex and dealing with peer pressure.

Parent/Caregiver Responses:

I liked meeting other parents of teens and learning that we all experience the same things.
The program helped me learn that you have to be a good listener. You have to be an askable parent.
The experience taught me to be more open-minded with my son and how we could sit down and discuss problems openly.
I learned how to talk to my teen and educate him about sex and STDs.
My daughter and I have always been close but being a part of this session has truly brought us closer.