Researchers estimate that more than half of the nation's six million young drinkers have problems with alcohol. Of those young drinkers, some reside in rural communities and towns. Little is known about how teen drinking occurs among rural teens. A pilot study was undertaken to discover how teens in rural settings are involved with drinking.…

Numerous reviews and studies have documented high levels of substance use and abuse in the United States when compared to other developed nations. Previous research has identified several factors which place adolescents at risk for substance abuse. This study was designed to replicate and validate some of these risk factors with youth from rural…

A description of the types and occupational status of the role models selected by black and white rural Texas youth as high school sophmores and again 2 years later. Racial and sex differences are reported and implications for future research discussed. (EH)

Indicators of normative traditionalism were derived from 1947 and 1970 attitude surveys of adolescents from 68 Pennsylvania high schools. Rural-urban character of the areas was indexed by 1950 and 1970 census materials. Although 1970 normative climates were more permissive, findings suggest continuing utility of rural-urban distinction in dealing…

Tested relevance of risk-factor model for predicting drug use among rural seventh graders (n=235). Nineteen of 20 risk factors were significantly related to at least 1 category of drug use. Subset of 10 risk factors was significantly associated with prevalence and frequency of use of cigarettes, beer and wine, hard liquor, marijuana, and other…

Broad-based community education strategies implemented in a rural South Carolina county to prevent unintended teen pregnancy showed reductions in pregnancy among teens from 1984-87. The reduced numbers realized a 20-year projected savings of $611,688 in public sector costs. Tables display data for this and comparison counties. (SM)

Finds that youth participating in a delinquency-prevention program (that included a psychoeducational intervention teaching them imagination skills) improved in their ability to be more fluent thinkers, showed better divergent thinking in the area of originality, improved in richness in storytelling, and reported a greater ability to relax and to…

Adolescents (n=414) living with rural Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) families were studied to determine predictors of sexual behavior in blacks and whites. Sex- and age-related differences were noted. The role of family support, welfare, and feelings of frustration were studied along with other variables. (Author/MMU)

Objective: To examine the role of expectancies in adolescent smokeless tobacco (ST) use. Methods: Self-report measures of students' ST expectancies, cigarette and ST use, and peer and family tobacco use were collected from a sample of 978 rural high school students. Results: Student expectancy beliefs significantly predicted ST use and intention…

While more new industrial jobs have been created in rural areas than in metropolitan centers in the last two decades, both white and minority rural workers lag behind their urban counterparts in vocational development. Since this rural labor force is composed mainly of the poor who have little schooling, formal skill training, or on-the-job…

The objective of this paper was to investigate the utility of the Ginzberg developmental model for explaining differences in the types or occupational status of the role models of Negro and white rural youth at two stages of adolescence. Data were obtained from 484 youth residing in East Texas in their sophomore and senior years in high school. In…

This paper describes the training of a high school assistance team designed to guide younger students. The program, which was directed at students in grades 7 and 8, lasted for 1 year and involved students in community service and challenge activities. The setting was a small rural school in Vermont, with nearly 400 students in grades 7-12.…

Sampled 1,004 eighth and tenth graders in 23 rural communities to examine peer influence and drug use. Students who perceived higher degree of drug use among friends and who received more information about drugs from friends used drugs more frequently. Findings support theory that peer pressure is related to drug abuse. (Author/NB)

Purpose: The purposes of this pilot study were to examine prevalence of depressive symptoms among rural adolescents and identify related social and environmental variables. Methods: A convenience sample of 299 14- to 18-year-old agriculture class students at 5 rural high schools in Kentucky and Iowa completed a survey that included demographic…