Simply texting parents about school performance cut teen alcohol and marijuana use nearly in half | Research

The takeaway

An RCT found that sending parents weekly texts about their child's grades and behavior reduced teen lifetime alcohol or marijuana use from 18.2% to 10.2% by the end of 8th grade, at a cost of just $15 per student per year.

School administrators, public health officials, parents, and anyone interested in low-cost substance use prevention.

10.2% vs 18.2% use rate

What the researchers found

By the end of 8th grade, lifetime use of alcohol or marijuana was 18.2% in the control group versus 10.2% in the intervention group (p=.02). The intervention consisted only of sending parents weekly text messages, phone calls, or emails about missed assignments, grades, and behavior. Parenting self-efficacy and student grades were similar between groups.

Why it matters

This is a remarkably simple and cheap intervention that achieved meaningful substance use reduction without directly targeting substance use at all. By keeping parents informed about school performance, the intervention apparently enhanced natural parental monitoring.

The numbers in context

318 students enrolled. Lifetime alcohol/marijuana use: 10.2% intervention vs 18.2% control (p=.02). 81% Latino. 50% household income <$15,000. Cost: $15/student/year, automatable to near-zero marginal cost.

How the study worked

Randomized controlled trial in Los Angeles enrolling 318 7th graders and their parents in 2014, with follow-up through 2016. Half had household income under $15,000; 81% were Latino. Intervention: weekly parent communications about academic performance and behavior.

What this study cannot tell us

Self-reported substance use may be underestimated. Predominantly Latino, low-income sample may not generalize. The mechanism is unclear since parenting self-efficacy and grades did not differ. Relatively short follow-up (grades 7-8).

How to read the evidence

Rated strong because this is a registered randomized controlled trial with objective outcome measurement and a clear effect.

When this study was published

Published in 2019 with 2014-2016 data. Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02129153).

The bigger picture

Most substance use prevention programs target teens directly and have modest effects. This study suggests that simply closing the information gap between schools and parents may be one of the most cost-effective prevention strategies available.

Questions still open

Does the effect persist into high school? What is the mechanism if parenting self-efficacy did not change? Would this work in higher-income or different demographic populations? Does the effect extend to other substances?

Common questions

How did texting parents reduce teen drug use?

Parents received weekly messages about missed assignments, grades, and behavior. This apparently enhanced parental awareness and monitoring, though the exact mechanism is unclear since self-reported parenting measures did not change.

How much did it cost?

Just $15 per student per year, and the authors note it could be automated to reduce the marginal cost to near zero.

Did it only work for marijuana?

The study measured combined alcohol and marijuana use. The overall initiation rate was cut nearly in half, from 18.2% to 10.2%.

Read the original research

Engaging Parents to Prevent Adolescent Substance Use: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

American journal of public health, 109(10), 1455-1461

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Bergman, Peter; Dudovitz, Rebecca N; Dosanjh, Kulwant K; Wong, Mitchell D. (2019). Engaging Parents to Prevent Adolescent Substance Use: A Randomized Controlled Trial.. American journal of public health, 109(10), 1455-1461. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305240