Completers and Dropouts in a Prevention Programme for Parents of Adolescents with High-Risk Behaviours /Altas y Abandonos en un Programa de Prevencion para Padres de Adolescentes con Conductas de Riesgo

Background: The main goals of this study were to determine the rate of retention/dropout in a prevention programme for parents of adolescents with risk behaviours, to compare completers and dropouts in several characteristics, and to establish the main variables related to treatment completion and dropout. Method: The sample was composed of 367 parents (165 men and 202 women). Information was collected on sociodemographic characteristics, adolescents' attendance at the programme, psychopathological symptoms, emotional states, educational styles, and maladjustment to everyday life. Results: The retention rate was 79.29% (n = 291), with no sex differences between completers and dropouts. Completers were older, maintained the composition of the nuclear family of origin and had their children simultaneously receiving treatment in the prevention programme for adolescents at the same centre. Four groups were found in the cluster analysis. The highest dropout rates were observed among parents whose children did not participate in the programme (29.5%; n = 18) and among families that had undergone changes in the composition of the nuclear family of origin (28.9%; n = 26). Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of family composition and the involvement of both parents and adolescents in the effectiveness of the indicated prevention programmes. Keywords: Adolescence; risk behaviours; parents; prevention programmes; dropout. Antecedentes: los principales objetivos fueron determinar la tasa de retención/abandono en un programa de prevención indicada para padres de adolescentes con conductas de riesgo, comparar a los que finalizaron y abandonaron en diferentes características y establecer las principales variables relacionadas con la finalización/abandono de la intervención. Método: la muestra estuvo compuesta por 367 padres (165 hombres y 202 mujeres). Se recogió información sociodemográfica, síntomas psicopatológicos, estados emocionales, estilos educativos y desajustes en la vida cotidiana. Resultados: la tasa de retención fue del 79,29% (n = 291), sin diferencias de sexo entre los que completaron y abandonaron. Los que completaron la intervención eran mayores, mantenían el núcleo familiar de origen y sus hijos recibían simultáneamente tratamiento en el programa de prevención para adolescentes del mismo centro. Se obtuvieron cuatro grupos en el análisis de conglomerados. Las mayores tasas de abandono se observaron entre los padres cuyos hijos no participa