Aim: To report baseline findings and discuss their implications for the transferability of the predominantly American "Social Norms" approach to alcohol misuse prevention to a UK (Scottish) secondary school setting. Design, setting, participants and measurement: Baseline data from a 3-year control case study are reported here, and data…

This document is a collection of reprints of several reports presented to the Surgeon General of the United States by the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. The reports contain much information that is useful to educators and others who develop or implement school-based alcohol and other drug prevention programs.…

Criticizes a "Cosby Show" episode for airing mixed messages about teenage drinking. Instead of negotiating a logical consequence for their daughter's misbehavior, the TV parents (the Huxtables) projected the message that drunkenness is funny and a hangover is a fitting punishment. (MLH)

This resource list on preventing alcohol and other drug use among secondary school students was compiled by the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP). All resources have been reviewed to ensure that they reflect the latest scientific facts and convey a clear no-use message. The list is divided into three major sections: (1) resources for…

Investigated effects of age and school location on the perceptions of alcohol use by students among randomly selected secondary school principals (N=98) in Bendel State, Nigeria. Results showed that age and location of school had no effects on the principals' perceptions of alcohol use or misuse. (Author)

Whether a person drinks a little or a lot, one thing remains the same--alcohol is a drug that changes the body in specific ways. Information on alcohol, how it is made, and how it affects the body are presented in this book. Written in an easy to understand style, the text begins with a detailed explanation of the various uses of alcohol and how…

Using a classroom survey among 3061 secondary school students, focuses on the relationship between choice of different alcohol types and two indicators for regular drinking. Results indicate experience with western alcohol types to be associated with indicators for frequent drinking as well as experience with being drunk. Other findings are…

In response to public health concerns and the adverse health consequences of alcohol abuse, a national sample of junior and senior high school (7th through 12th grade) students (N=956) was surveyed to determine how they obtained, viewed, and consumed alcohol. Based on the findings it was estimated that: (1) 51% of junior and senior high school…

Describes and evaluates the effectiveness of an alcohol-prevention program. Results suggest that parents will read and use information mailed to them. Although parents and children talked more about alcohol-related topics, changes in other parenting behaviors and in student self-reported alcohol use were not observed. (RJM)

Examined alcohol use among 7,799 adolescents. Found alcohol use highly correlated with composite effects of variables (behavioral intention; attitude toward school; school misconduct; time spent on sports, extracurricular activities, religion, and academics; grade average; gender; and grade level). Alcohol use was positively correlated with…

Values are a central concept in understanding and predicting human behavior. Value priority differences have been shown to predict important political, social, and economic attitudes and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to identify differences and similarities among the value hierarchies of adolescents who have never tried alcohol,…

Examined hypothesis that use of psychoactive substances is strongly associated with social deviance. Investigated patterns of alcohol and drug use among 97 juvenile delinquents, 184 detached youth, and 8,151 high school students in Israel. Results clearly indicated that psychoactive substance use was concentrated among Israeli groups of deviant…

Alcohol use and abuse has received extensive attention, with recent concerns focused on the use and abuse of alcohol by adolescents and young adults. Alcohol use has become one of the major rituals in the rites of passage from childhood to adulthood. Anthropologists have documented the importance of rites of passage rituals for marking the…

Looks at adolescent alcohol use and the strategy of responsible decision making (RDM) in regard to alcohol. States that RDM was erroneously discontinued in the mid-1989s, and that young people are still grappling with alcohol-related problems. Argues that RDM provides information, motivates discussion of adolescent activities, and promotes…

Survey found 57 percent of high school seniors reported drinking in previous month, down from 72 percent in 1980. Although illicit drug use is also down, alcohol abuse among U.S. teens remains alarmingly high. Schools should back up iron-fisted reaction to drinking with comprehensive drug/alcohol program long on prevention and intervention.…