Family Functioning Patterns as Predictors of Engagement: Which Families Participate in Services and Which Ones Do Not?

ABSTRACT

The present study examines the relationship between specific areas of family functioning and family engagement in prevention services. A sample of 147 families who initiated youth-centered treatment services from a non-profit agency was selected. Statistical analysis was used to test for relationships between family scores on the Family Assessment Measure (version III, General Scale) and family levels of engagement in services. Results of binary logistic regression analysis indicated that individual and family characteristics are associated with family engagement in services. In addition to demographic variables of age and race, family patterns of denial made a significant individual contribution to the evaluated model. Implications for engaging families in prevention services are discussed and suggestions are made for future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Family engagement
• family functioning
• prevention

The authors would like to express their appreciation to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice for allowing access to the data for this study.