Effectiveness of a universal drug abuse prevention approach for youth at high risk for substance use initiation. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • BACKGROUND: Universal school-based prevention programs for alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use are typically designed for all students within a particular school setting. However, it is unclear whether such broad-based programs are effective for youth at high risk for substance use initiation. METHOD: The effectiveness of a universal drug abuse preventive intervention was examined among youth from 29 inner-city middle schools participating in a randomized, controlled prevention trial. A subsample of youth (21% of full sample) was identified as being at high risk for substance use initiation based on exposure to substance-using peers and poor academic performance in school. The prevention program taught drug refusal skills, antidrug norms, personal self-management skills, and general social skills. RESULTS: Findings indicated that youth at high risk who received the program (n = 426) reported less smoking, drinking, inhalant use, and polydrug use at the one-year follow-up assessment compared to youth at high risk in the control condition that did not receive the intervention (n = 332). Results indicate that a universal drug abuse prevention program is effective for minority, economically disadvantaged, inner-city youth who are at higher than average risk for substance use initiation. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that universal prevention programs can be effective for a range of youth along a continuum of risk.

publication date

  • January 1, 2003

Research

keywords

  • Health Education
  • Substance-Related Disorders

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0037218069

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1006/pmed.2002.1133

PubMed ID

  • 12473419

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 36

issue

  • 1