In 1838 a child known as Mathinna was removed from the settlement for the remnant of the Tasmanian Aboriginal people on Flinders Island and taken to Hobart to live in the house of the lieutenant governor. Sir John and Lady Franklin, the historical record recounts, were impressed by her intelligence and wanted to bring her up as a companion to…

Project CHOICES developed an integrated behavioral intervention for prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure in women at high risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies. Settings included primary care, university-hospital based obstetrical/gynecology practices, an urban jail, substance abuse treatment settings, and a media-recruited sample in three large…

Juvenile crime and violent victimization continue to be significant social problems, in that adolescents, females in particular, are likely to participate in health-related risk behaviors as a result of having been victimized or exposed to a violent environment. Specifically, abuse, neglect, sexual molestation, poverty, and witnessing violence are…

One of the most consistent findings in the epidemiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the higher risk of this disorder in women. Explanations reviewed within a psychobiological model of PTSD suggest that women's higher PTSD risk may be due to the type of trauma they experience, their younger age at the time of trauma exposure, their…

This report provides an analysis of recent findings on drug and alcohol use trends among girls. Data indicate that girls have caught up with boys in illicit drug and alcohol use and have actually surpassed boys in cigarette and prescription drug use. Also, more girls than boys are new users of substances. Marijuana is the illicit drug most widely…

This 1-year project identified several goals to increase the awareness of chemical abuse among older women, older adults, and disabled people. The goals included: develop an assessment instrument; identify chemical health service providers; develop a process to coordinate outreach and case-finding; develop a guide for chemical health service…

Alcohol plays a role for women in seeming to facilitate friendships and self-medicating when relationships are poor. Theories about women's psychological development can be applied to designing prevention programs. The article describes an interactive college program that seeks to engage the audience emotionally and stresses peer participation…

There are many issues concerning women of all ages and substance abuse. Women who abuse alcohol or other drugs are particularly at risk for sexual assault; unprotected sex; unwanted pregnancies; and sexually transmitted diseases. Females between the ages of 12 and 17 surpass males in their use of cigarettes; cocaine; crack; inhalants; and…

La Casita is a culturally relevant 6-month residential substance abuse treatment program in southeast Los Angeles County (California) for low income Latina women. Most participants are second and third generation Latinas who clearly identify themselves as being Hispanic but behave in a bicultural manner. The average La Casita resident is 30 years…

This study examined the effects of alcohol use on the transition experiences and development of eight female freshman college students. The theories developed by Erikson, Chickering, Perry, Kohlberg, Gilligan, Belenky, and Eisenhart were examined and related to student development. A qualitative case study research design involved data collection…

The Minorities Access to Research Careers (MARC) program at Hunter College, New York is designed to provide an in-depth 2-year research training experience for minority students in order to prepare them for graduate school and eventual research careers in alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health fields. The target groups include Blacks, Hispanics,…

This manual offers information on developing, implementing, and maintaining college alcohol and other drug programs at New York institutions of higher education. The document notes that alcohol is the drug of choice for college students and that therefore alcohol-related issues and programs are the primary focus of the manual. Part 1 of the manual…