Cultural Adaptation of Drug Treatment for DJJ Youth

This project aims to improve the understanding of the impact of Ethnic and Racial Discrimination (ERD) on adolescent alcohol and other drug use (AOD) within the Black Justice-Involved Youth (JIY) population. Individual interviews with Black JIY and focus groups with parents and guardians of Black JIY and community members who support change and reform in the justice community for Black JIY will be conducted.

Black JIY are overrepresented in the criminal justice system due to institutional racism and discrimination. The General Strain Theory posits that high levels of ethnic and racial discrimination (ERD), paired with elevated levels of witnessing or experiencing police brutality, places Black JIY at unique risk of increased alcohol and other drug use (AOD) as a means of coping with stressful events. Black JIY report engaging in comorbid alcohol and cannabis use to achieve temporary respite from discrimination-induced stress. While JIY engage in higher rates of comorbid alcohol and cannabis use compared to non-justice-involved youth, overall, Black JIY are less likely to be diverted to substance use treatment programs, less likely to engage in care after being released on probation, less likely to benefit from substance use treatment in terms of reduced risk of recidivism, and are more adversely affected by early onset of AOD activity than White JIY. To date, no known adolescent substance use treatment directly addresses ERD, the increased risk of AOD due to ERD, or explicitly presents tools on how to appropriately respond to AOD and discrimination distress among Black JIY. To address this problem, the investigator's research program aspires to improve the understanding of the impact of ERD on adolescent AOD within the Black JIY population. Individual interviews with Black JIY and focus groups with guardians of Black JIY and community members will be conducted. Data will be used to culturally adapt an adolescent substance use intervention. The culturally adapted intervention will then be piloted with 30 Black JIY.

Individual interviews with Black justice-involved youth (JIY) and focus groups with guardians of Black JIY and community members will be conducted. Data from focus groups and interviews will be used to inform the cultural adaptation of an evidence-based adolescent substance use treatment. The cultural adapted treatment will then be piloted with 30 Black JIY for feasibility and acceptability.

Phase 8 consists of piloting the culturally adapted CYT intervention with 30 Black JIY to examine feasibility and acceptability.

Participants will complete feasibility and acceptability questionnaires and provide qualitative data on likes and dislikes about the intervention, delivery, session structure, and content.

Baseline, after each study visit, at study completion, up to 3 months post-intervention, an average of 6 months.

Baseline, after each study visit, at study completion, up to 3 months post-intervention, an average of 6 months.

For Focus Groups and Interviews: Black JIY Participants: Inclusion Criteria: • Between the ages of 12-17, 2) identify as Black or African American, and 3) on community probation. Exclusion Criteria: • Will be excluded if they do not have parental consent to participate. For Focus Groups and Interviews: Adult Participants Inclusion Criteria: A guardian of JIY An advocate (someone who supports change and reform in the justice community) for Black JIY. Exclusion Criteria: • Will be excluded if they do not provide consent to participate. For pilot feasibility study: Black JIY Participants: Inclusion Criteria: Between the ages of 12 and 17 Identify as Black or African American Be on community probation Meet criteria for alcohol, cannabis, or other drug misuse as defined by the DSM 5 Be experiencing at least 1 problem related to AOD; The frequency of AOD must be weekly use over a 3-month period Exclusion Criteria: Will be excluded if they do not have parental consent to participate Parole violation