| Summary: | <p> Research has shown that early adolescence is when risk-taking behaviors begin. The transitioning years of an adolescent moving from elementary through middle school deem to be some of the most important, influential, and challenging years not only for the teenager but the parents. As the adolescent begins the process of being independent, the parent/adolescent relationship changes. Parents start to lose self-efficacy, understanding parental involvement, struggle with communication, and understanding how to build an effective relationship with their teenager. Research has shown that effective parental involvement significantly decreases adolescent risk-taking behaviors. However, programs developed are implemented after the risk-taking behavior has negatively impacted the adolescent and family. Previous programs are based on the adolescent and not the parents. Parent Involvement for Prevention Plan (PIPP) is designed as a six-week psychoeducational program with one 90-minute session per week. The purpose of PIPP is to increase parental self-efficacy, parent/adolescent relationship, communication with the teenager, emotional regulation, and handling a crisis moment. A sub-association for the program is reducing adolescent risk-taking behaviors towards substance use/abuse for students in 5<sup> th</sup>-8<sup>th</sup> grade. Therefore, educating the parents on how to transition through the teen years, and how effective involvement will help decrease adolescent impulsive behaviors while increasing the parent/adolescent relationship is the purpose of the program. PIPP is designed to approach parental cognitive distortions that lead to negative self-esteem and decreased self-efficacy which negatively effects the parent/adolescent relationship. Additionally, the program incorporates motivational interviewing skills, DBT skills, and solution-focused skills to assist the parent in emotional regulation, interpersonal communication, and problem-solving skills. The PIPP program teaches parents how to effectively manage a crisis without making the crisis worse. The program goes a step further in helping the parents understand substances and reaching out to community resources for more intense help. By educating parents in their child’s early adolescent years, the program will help build the parent/adolescent communication and relationship as a preventative in reducing adolescent risk-taking behaviors.</p><p>
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