Examined underlying factors, reliability, and predictive validity of the Family, Friends, and Self (FFS) Assessment Scales based on data collected from 700 Mexican-American youth aged 13-18 admitted to 11 drug abuse prevention programs in Texas. The revised FFS drops the content approximately 25 percent to 63 items covering 10 scales. (KS)

The sister cities of Brownsville, Texas and H. Matamoros Tamaulipas represent a microcosm of United States-Mexico border cities. The combined characteristics of urban poverty, an agricultural-based economy and high unemployment, in a predominantly Hispanic population, coupled with a high percentage of illegal aliens produce a situation of poor…