DARE to be You is for families with a child aged between 2 and 5 years, with risk factors for later adolescent substance use. It is delivered by two trained preschool teachers to groups of up to 12 to 25 families through 10 to 12 weekly sessions. Each session consists in a two-hour workshop for parents, while children and siblings had their own session at the same time. The sessions are typically offered alongside a preschool curriculum and booster sessions can be added at the end.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
2 to 5 years old
Group
DARE to be You is for families with a child aged between 2 and 5 years, with risk factors for later adolescent substance use.
It is delivered by two trained preschool teachers to groups of 12 to 25 families for 10 to 12 weeks over 3 to 4 months, with optional booster sessions. Each session consists in a two-hour workshop for parents, while children and siblings attend their own session at the same time. Parents and children also engage in a 10- to 30-minute activity together and share a family meal.
The parent component focuses on personal and parenting efficacy, stress management, child development, and home management skills based on the four ‘DARE to be You’ principles:
The group activities are designed specifically to improve self-talk, help children define positive characteristics, and validate differences including different developmental levels. Parents also learn about child development and age-appropriate parenting strategies for fostering children’s self-esteem, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
The child component uses age-appropriate games and activities to promote the same concepts learned by the parents in supporting children’s cognitive development, mastery motivation, social competence, emotional knowledge, decision-making, self-management, and communication skills.
Separate curricula are available for 2- to 3-year-olds and 4- to 5-year-olds.
2 to 5 years old
Families with children aged 2 to 5 years old who are at risk of later adolescent substance use.
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Adolescent substance use is a major public health concern that is associated with adverse short- and long-term effects for young people.
Science-based assumption
Disadvantaged families experience multiple factors which could be associated with adolescent substance use, including lack of parenting competence and low parenting self-esteem.
Science-based assumption
Families with at least one risk factor for later adolescent substance use.
Intervention
Preschool teachers conduct workshops with parents to increase their personal and parenting efficacy, stress management, understanding of child development, and home management skills
Preschool teachers conduct workshops with children to build their mastery motivation, and cognitive, socio-emotional and communication skills.
Short-term
Increased parenting competence
Increased parental understanding of child development
Increased parental self-esteem
Increased child readiness to learn.
Medium-term
Increased family resilience
Decreased child behaviours that challenge.
Long-term
Reduced adolescent substance use
Reduced adolescent risky behaviours
Increased child academic achievement.
Disadvantaged families with a child aged 2 to 5 years old, with at least one major risk for adolescent substance misuse, including:
Parenting risk: At least one foster or shelter care placement; frequent harsh punishment; prior enrolment in community parenting classes.
Educational risk: School dropout; mother or father with less than 12 years of education.
Economic risk: Less than $15,000 annual income; unemployed wage earner; receipt of welfare; sought employment agency assistance in last six months; sought financial agency assistance in last six months.
Mental health risk: Sought individual or family therapy in last six months; sought other help for family problems in last six months.
Substance abuse risk: Family history of substance abuse; spouse’s family history of substance abuse; attended Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A. or AIAnon) in last six months.
Psychosocial risk: Teen mother (younger than 20 years); teen father; single parent or step-parent; socially isolated; lives in a community with >90% population substance abuse.
Families predominantly have acute difficulties, rather than severe, chronic difficulties.
DARE to be You is delivered in 10 to 12 sessions of two hours’ duration each by two preschool teachers, to groups of parents and children.
The practitioner who delivers this intervention is a qualified preschool teacher trained in DARE to be You. They are supported by trained teenage caregivers to serve as caregivers for siblings and ‘constant companions’ in the children’s workshops.
No information on supervision.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Contact person: Jan Miller-Heyl and Toni Hover
Organisation: DARE to be You
Email address: daretobeyou20@yahoo.com
Website: https://dare-to-be-you.webnode.page
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
DARE to be You’s most rigorous evidence comes from a single RCT conducted in the United States which is consistent with Foundations’ Level 2+ evidence strength criteria.
This study observed statistically significant improvements in DARE to be You parents’ reports of their child’s general development and behaviour at a 12-month follow-up assessment compared to families not receiving the intervention. DARE to be You parents’ also reported significantly improved parenting practices and reductions in stress 12 months post-intervention compared to parents not receiving DARE to be You.
DARE to be You has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the intervention caused the improvement.
| Identified in search | 4 |
| Studies reviewed | 1 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 1 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 0 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 3 |
| Study design | RCT |
| Country | United States |
| Sample characteristics | 474 families with a child between the ages of 2 and 5 years old, with at least one risk factor for later adolescent substance use |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
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| Population risk factors |
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| Timing |
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| Child outcomes |
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| Other outcomes | Improved parental sense of competence (parent report)
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| Study rating | 2+ |
| Citations | Miller-Heyl, J., MacPhee, D. & Fritz, J. J. (1998) DARE to be you: A family-support, early prevention program. Journal of Primary Prevention. 18, 257–285. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
MacPhee, D. & Fritz, J. (1999) DARE to Be You replication project, Colorado Sites: Final evaluation report.
MacPhee, D.,& Miller-Heyl, J. (2001) Head Start-University Partnership Grant, Dare to Be You Project: Final evaluation report. DHHS grant 906D0011.
MacPhee, D., Miller-Heyl, J. & Carroll, J. (2014) Impact of the DARE to Be You family support program: Collaborative replication in rural counties. Journal of Community Psychology. 42, 707–722.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing obesity and promoting healthy physical development: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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