Evaluation of Thiwáhe Gluwáš'Akapi Substance Use Prevention Program

Thiwáhe Gluwáš'akapi (TG, sacred home in which family is made strong) is a cultural adaptation of the Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP 10-14). TG, like SFP 10-14, is a 7-week family-based prevention program with separate youth and adult sessions followed by family sessions. Videos teach content and spark discussion; games and activities foster interaction and provide opportunities to practice skills. Four key adaptations were made to create TG: (1) cultural kinship teachings and tribal language kinship words were embedded throughout; (2) a parent session on coping with stress was enhanced to teach recognizing and responding to trauma reactions in youth; (3) a session on listening was moved earlier in the curriculum, given cultural oral tradition; (4) session videos were remade with local actors and adapted scenarios. A multiphase optimization strategy design was used to test potential adaptations, resulting in the optimized TG program.

Woyute Waśte (WW) was adapted from the Colorado School of Public Health's Integrated Nutrition Education Program (INEP) for the culture and context of the reservation. Families will meet for 1 session to participate in hands-on activities - preparing healthy meals, family physical activity, and sugary drinks. They will discuss setting healthy goals and tracking progress, receive recipes and water bottles, and for 6 weeks after the session, will get text messages with additional program content.