Oct 24, 2014 11:31 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

A family-focused intervention for children could help prevent high school dropouts, according to a recent study focusing on Mexican American youth.

Researchers from Arizona State University found that youth in intervention programs are more likely to value school and believe it was important for their future. They also had lower rates of alcohol and illegal drug use.

"This is the first randomized prevention trial that we're aware of to show effects on school dropout for this population," Nancy Gonzales, foundation professor in the REACH Institute and psychology Department, said in a statement.

For the study, researchers collected data from more than 500 students who participated in the Bridges to High School program when they were in seventh grade. They also created a control group made up of students who did not attend the intervention program. The effects of the intervention program were found during the high school years for participants who completed the program.

Students participating in the intervention program reported lower rates of substance use, internalizing symptoms such as depression, and school drop-out rates compared to adolescents in a control group, according to researchers.

This research is especially significant since Mexican American youth face significant barriers that lead them to have one of the highest high school dropout rates in the nation. The program engages families in seventh grade to stay on an academic track and plan for their future so they are prepared for high school and young adulthood.

The new findings show that adolescents who are at high risk for problems such as early drinking were most likely to benefit from the program and show positive effects.

"The program has something to offer for all students, but our research shows those who need the program the most benefit the most," Gonzales said.

The findings are detailed in the journal Prevention Science.

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