Familias Unidas

Developers
Dr. Hila Pantin and Dr. Guillermo Prado
Program Summary
The Familias Unidas program is a family-focused intervention designed to prevent and reduce substance abuse and unsafe sexual behaviors among Latino adolescents through the improvement of family functioning. Two versions of the program have been evaluated. The original 12-week program was evaluated with 12-17 year old Hispanic youth and their primary caregivers. A compressed, six-week version was also tested with ninth-grade Latino students and their primary caregivers, and shows evidence of effectiveness.
Intended Population
Familias Unidas is designed for Latino youth and their families. It has been evaluated with both 12-17 year old youth (full version), and ninth-grade Latino students (abbreviated version). The study of the abbreviated version with ninth grade Latino students showed positive impacts.
Program Setting

Familias Unidas can be implemented in any setting and has been delivered in community-based organizations and school settings in the United States and Latin America. The program has been evaluated in community-based settings in Miami.

Contact and Availability Information
Yannine Estrada
University of Miami
1120 NW 14th St., Suite 1016
Miami, FL 33136
yestrada@med.miami.edu
Sample of Curriculum Available for Review Prior to Purchase
Unknown
Languages Available
Spanish
Monitoring and Evaluation Tools
Monitoring and evaluation tools available
Yes
Monitoring and evaluation tool usage required
No
Information about available monitoring and evaluation tools (if applicable)

Familias Unidas can provide tools to measure family functioning, drug use, and sexual risk behaviors. The program also provides fidelity measures.

Program Components and Core Components

Last updated in 2024

The data presented on this page reflect responses from the program’s developer or distributor to a program component checklist that asked them to report on the individual components within their TPP program. The same program component checklist was sent to the developer or distributor of every active TPP program with evidence of effectiveness. The program component table provides information on seven types of program components including content, delivery mechanism, dosage, staffing, format, context, and intended population characteristics; whether the component was present or optional in the program; whether the component is considered to be core to the program; and the lesson number or activity where the component can be found in the program.

In the drop-down menu below, under “Has component,” there are four options that indicate a component as present in the program: (1) “Yes” indicates that the component is present in at least one version of the program (whether that be the program version that was evaluated, the current version, or both versions); (2) “Yes (both versions)” indicates that the component is present in both the evaluated version of the program and the current version of the program; (3) “Yes (current version)” indicates that the component is present in the current, but not the evaluated, version of the program; and (4) “Yes (evaluated version)” indicates that the component is present in the evaluated version of the program, only. Note that for dosage components, the dosage itself is described in the Notes when available.

Some of the components identified are noted as core components of the evidence-based program, but this does not necessarily mean that these components have been rigorously tested and show evidence of effectiveness. Most often developers denoted components as core based on theory or experience in the field. Click here for the list of evidence-based components.

For more details about program components, refer to the FAQ page.

Category Component Core Component Component present Notes Lesson number(s) / activities where present
Content School engagement No
Content Anatomy/physiology No No
Content Other Yes Yes (both versions) Parental investment, parental school involvement, prevention as something that continues 6
Content Volunteering/civic engagement No
Content Spirituality No
Content Morals/values No
Content Identity development No
Content Social support/capital No
Content Social influence/actual vs. perceived social norms No
Content Social competence No
Content Parenting skills Yes (both versions) 3
Content Normative beliefs No
Content Leadership No
Content Gender roles No
Content Gender identity No
Content Cultural values Yes Yes (both versions) 1
Content Connections with trusted adults Yes Yes (both versions) 2
Content Conflict resolution/social problem solving Yes Yes (both versions) 2
Content Communication skills Yes Yes (both versions) 2
Content Child development No
Content Boundary setting/refusal skills Yes Yes (both versions) 5,7
Content Substance use cessation Yes Yes (both versions) 5
Content Substance use - Other drugs Yes Yes (both versions) 5
Content Substance use - Alcohol Yes Yes (both versions) 5
Content Substance use - Abstinence Yes Yes (both versions) 5
Content Brain development and substance use No
Content Vocational/skills training No
Content Supplemental academic services No
Content Graduating from high school No
Content College preparation No
Content Alternative schooling No
Content Self-regulation No
Content Self-esteem No
Content Self-efficacy/empowerment No
Content Resilience No
Content Sexual health No
Content STIs - Treatment No
Content STIs - Screening No
Content STIs - Prevention Yes Yes (both versions)
Content STIs - Information Yes Yes (both versions)
Content Sexual risk reduction Yes Yes (both versions)
Content Sexual risk discontinuation No
Content Sexual risk avoidance No
Content Personal vulnerability No
Content Maternal health No
Content Contraception - Condoms Yes Yes (both versions) Group Session 8, Family Visit 4
Content Contraception - Long-acting reversible contraceptives No
Content Contraception - Other No
Content Contraception - Pills, patches, rings, and shots No
Content Reproduction No
Program Objectives
Familias Unidas aims to prevent substance use and sexual risk behaviors among Hispanic adolescents. The program seeks to reduce risk behavior by promoting parental involvement and other “protective factors” at the family, peer, and school level.
Program Content
Familias Unidas consists of group sessions with the parents of adolescents, which focus on increasing parental involvement and parents’ awareness of their role in protecting their adolescent from risky behavior. The intervention also includes family sessions in which caregivers can employ the skills they learn in group sessions with their adolescent.
Program Methods
Familias Unidas was developed for Hispanic youth and family populations. The program is influenced by ecodevelopmental theory. Intervention activities consider Hispanic cultural expectations and norms. The program focuses on reducing youth’s risk behaviors by targeting improved family functioning through parent group sessions and family sessions.
Program Structure and Timeline
The 12-week Familias Unidas program consists of eight parent group sessions and four family sessions, both of which are guided by facilitators. The parent group sessions are two hours and includes 12 to 15 parents. The family sessions are one hour long and allow parents to practice the skills learned during the parent groups. The six-week abbreviated version of the program consists of 5 parent group sessions and one family session, guided by facilitators.
Staffing
The program is designed to be delivered by two trained co-facilitators. The developer advises that facilitators should have at least a bachelor’s degree and should also speak Spanish. To implement the program, facilitators are required to attend a four day training.
Staff Training
Training is conducted across four days and is focused on understanding the core components of the intervention, skill development in engaging and retaining participants, role play practice, and review of past participant videos.
Additional Needs for Implementation
The program materials and resources include the following:
  • Familias Unidas Manual
  • Clinical Supervision Manual
  • Parent Handbook
  • Adherence Manual
  • Adherence forms for family sessions
  • Adherence forms for group sessions
  • Skills videos

Recording equipment is necessary to capture group and family sessions.

Fidelity
Fidelity evaluations are carried out by the developer using observational fidelity measures that assess the facilitator’s use of core intervention components. Throughout the duration of the intervention, a site clinical supervisor also provides support through discussions, troubleshooting, and reviews of intervention fidelity.
Technical Assistance and Ongoing Support
Weekly supervision can be provided and includes case reviews, discussion of clinical issues, troubleshooting retention, and feedback based on fidelity ratings.
Allowable Adaptations
Adaptations of the Familias Unidas intervention are allowed only with written authorization from the developers.
Adaptation Guidelines or Kit
Unknown
Reviewed Studies
Citation High-Quality Randomized Trial Moderate-Quality Randomized Trial Moderate-Quality Quasi-Experiment Low Study Rating Did Not Meet Eligibility Criteria

Prado et al. 2012

Prado et al. 2013

 		✓

Estrada et al. 2015

 		✓

Estrada et al. 2017

 		✓

Ocasio et al. 2022

 		✓
Study Characteristics
Citation Setting Majority Age Group Majority Racial/Ethnic Group Gender Sample Size

Prado et al. 2012

Prado et al. 2013

 		After school 14 to 17 Hispanic or Latinx of any race Youth of any gender

242

Estrada et al. 2015

 		Multiple settings 14 to 17 Hispanic or Latinx of any race Youth of any gender

160

Estrada et al. 2017

 		n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Ocasio et al. 2022

 		n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.
Study Findings

Evidence by Outcome Domain and Study

Citation Sexual Activity Number of Sexual Partners Contraceptive Use STIs or HIV Pregnancy

Prado et al. 2012

Prado et al. 2013

 		n.a. n.a. n.a. Indeterminate evidence n.a.

Estrada et al. 2015

 		Potentially favorable evidence n.a. Indeterminate evidence n.a. n.a.

Estrada et al. 2017

 		n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Ocasio et al. 2022

 		n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.
KEY
Evidence Indication
Favorable findings
Two or more favorable impacts and no unfavorable impacts, regardless of null findings
Potentially favorable findings
At least one favorable impact and no unfavorable impacts, regardless of null findings
Indeterminate findings
Uniformly null findings
Conflicting findings
At least one favorable and at least one unfavorable impact, regardless of null findings
Potentially unfavorable findings
At least one unfavorable impact and no favorable impacts, regardless of null findings
Unfavorable findings
Two or more unfavorable impacts and no favorable impacts, regardless of null findings
Note: n.a. indicates the study did not examine any outcome measures within that particular outcome domain, or the study examined outcome measures within that domain but the findings did not meet the review evidence standards.
Detailed Findings
Citation Details

Prado et al. 2012

Prado et al. 2013

The study evaluated Familias Unidas using a randomized controlled trial that involved 242 juvenile justice youth and their families in Miami-Dade County. Surveys in the study were administered before the program (baseline) and again six months after the baseline.

The study found no evidence of statistically significant program impacts on ever having contracted a STI. The study also examined program impacts on number of sexual partners and having unprotected sex in the last three months. Findings for these outcomes were not considered for the review because they did not meet the review evidence standards. Specifically, findings were reported only for subgroups of youth defined by sexual activity at follow-up.

Estrada et al. 2015

A more recent study involving 160 students in Miami-Dade County high schools and their families examined the effectiveness of Brief Familias Unidas using a randomized controlled trial. Brief Familias Unidas is an adapted version of the Familias Unidas program that reduces the duration of the intervention to include five parent sessions (compared to eight in the full length program) and one family visit (compared to four in the full length program). The study collected data before random assignment (baseline) and again 6, 12, and 24 months after baseline.

The study found that, 24 months after the baseline survey, the adolescents in the group that received Brief Familias Unidas and who were not sexually experienced at baseline were less likely to have had initiated sex than their counterparts in the group that did not receive the program (odds ratio = 0.42, confidence interval = 0.27 to 0.65). At the 24-month follow-up, the study found no evidence of statistically significant impacts on having vaginal or anal sex without a condom in the past 90 days.

The study also examined program impacts on measures of use of cigarettes, alcohol, illicit substances, overall substance use, parental involvement, positive parenting, and parent-adolescent communication. Findings for these outcomes were not considered for the review because they fell outside the scope of the review.

Estrada et al. 2017

The study received a low study quality rating because it only presented findings for endogenous subgroups.

Ocasio et al. 2022

This study was ineligible because it did not meet review's screening criteria.

Notes

Some study entries may include more than one citation because each citation examines a different follow-up period from the same study sample, or because each citation examines a different set of outcome measures on the same study sample. A blank cell indicates the study did not examine any outcome measures within the particular outcome domain or the findings for the outcome measures within that domain did not meet the review evidence standards.

Information on evidence of effectiveness is available only for studies that received a high or moderate rating. Read the description of the review process for more information on how these programs are identified.