Prevention of Adolescent Risky Behaviors: Neural Markers of Intervention Effects

PAAS is a 6-week, technology-delivered, family-based youth risk intervention program. PAAS includes 6 sessions for parents and youth, and joint sessions in which they both engage on the same computer to integrate and practice the skills they have just learned in their separate sessions. Each session includes a review, a virtual discussion, and observing and interacting with four parent and four youth Avatars that reflect phenotypes of African Americans (AA), with voice-overs by AA parents and youth. Videos portraying family interactions and intrapersonal processes are integrated into each session to convey key points of the intervention along with interactive activities to promote skill-building and to reinforce learning. PAAS also includes a technology tutorial and an introductory session.