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Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Center for Dissemination & Implementation Science

NEON

Neighborhood Effects on Parent SMART 

An adolescent’s neighborhood is associated with their likelihood of developing a substance use disorder. Availability of drugs, lack of access to resources, and exposure to violence are all associated with greater substance use among young people and more pronounced health inequities. Technology assisted interventions (TAIs) have been touted to enhance the reach of substance use treatment and improve outcomes for high-need families living in underserved neighborhoods. A key question is whether neighborhood characteristics impact the effectiveness of TAIs, given these interventions are embedded within an adolescent’s natural environment. This study will examine the role of perceived neighborhood characteristics on response to Parent SMART, a TAI for parents of adolescents in residential substance use treatment (R37DA052918; PI: Becker). Aim 1 will use both adolescent and parent self-report of multiple neighborhood dimensions (e.g., physical environment, social disorder, access to community resources) to identify indicators predictive of treatment response. Aim 2 will then explore whether engagement with Parent SMART acts as a putative mechanism underlying the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and treatment outcomes.

Project Details

  • Dates: October 2023 – October 2025 
  • Funding source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
  • Grant number: Diversity Supplement to Parent Grant R37DA052918

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