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…

Describes Operation Snowball, an extensively used prevention model that emerged in response to drug abuse problems in school and society. Designed to engender positive student attitudes, this program combats alienation and attendant substance abuse through a process emphasizing information, education, alternatives to drugs, and environmental…

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…

Reviews research on student assistance programs for early intervention in substance abuse and provides information from the evaluation of a multischool program in Washington state. Despite the widespread adoption of these programs, there is little substantiation of their effectiveness. Although participating students generally show improvements,…

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.…

Analyzes the results of administering the Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale to 80 non-delinquent male high-school students and 101 delinquent males. Findings indicate that self destructiveness in both groups is related to alcohol use and other related risky behaviors. Suggests juvenile-delinquency intervention strategies. (MKA)

School-based alcohol use prevention studies frequently employ designs in which schools are assigned to treatment conditions while observations are made on individuals. This article presents estimates of school-level intraclass correlation for measures related to alcohol use among students in grades 9 and 12 and discusses their use in planning new…

This digest, based on a longer document titled "Alcohol and Other Drugs: Use, Abuse, and Disabilities" by Peter E. Leone, addresses the following questions: (1) "Are students with disabling conditions more likely to use or abuse alcohol or other drugs than their peers?" (usually a "no" response); (2) "Are…

Anonymous questionnaires administered to 1283 middle school/high school students and 930 college students revealed that most of these students viewed all types of alcohol intervention programs as somewhat effective in reducing alcohol abuse among youth. Analyses revealed that drinking motivations and behavior produced a significant effect on the…

Getting Alternative Information Now (GAIN) is a family-based program designed to prevent/reduce drug and alcohol use/abuse among teenagers and families. The program includes: (1) referrals by school systems to the Family Services Agency of Central Arkansas; (2) clinical needs assessments to determine which program (Early Intervention Program,…

This text gives social workers tools for effective and ethical practice in school settings. Readers learn practical skills for observation, assessment, intervention, and research that will enable them to respond to the needs of diverse students from preschool through the secondary grades. The book presents strategies for dealing with particular…

In fall 1990 the U.S. Department of Education initiated a 5-year longitudinal study of the outcomes of local prevention-education programs funded under the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986 (DFSCA). This report presents findings of a study that examined prevention services and activities funded under the Governors' DFSCA program. Of…

Examines the efficacy of alcohol education programs. This study (N=83) found that recency of exposure to alcohol education classes and discussion of alcohol advertising in those classes predicts adolescent cognitive resistance (counterarguing) to persuasive alcohol advertising for months or even years. Suggests greater attention to critical…

Adolescence has often been construed as a difficult period in life, consisting of storm and stress. It is estimated that 25-50% of adolescents engage in risk behaviors with negative health and behavior outcomes such as drug abuse, unwanted pregnancy, or sexually transmitted disease. Topics covered in this literature review are: (1) child…

To prevent the high-risk populations of learning disabled/behavior disordered (LD/BD) and educable mentally handicapped (EMH) students from developing substance abuse problems, these students must be educated with materials that are directed specifically at their social and mental levels. Project Oz, a social service agency in McLean County,…