Examined the long-term effects of an intervention for elementary students in high-crime urban areas. The intervention combined teacher training, parent education, and social competence training in an effort to reduce health-risk behaviors at age 18. Self-reports showed reduced rates of violent behavior, heavy drinking, and sexual intercourse at…

We received 38 controlled studies of marital and family therapy (MFT) in alcoholism treatment. We conclude that, when the alcoholic is unwilling to seek help, MFT is effective in helping the family cope better and motivating alcoholics to enter treatment. Specifically, (a) Al-Anon facilitation and referral help family members cope better; (b)…

Studies of athletes suggest that they are at increased risk for using alcohol, smokeless tobacco, steroids, and marijuana. They are also a readily available audience during annual preparticiaption physical examinations. In this article, Dr. Werch and colleagues report on the results from their pilot study, using a modified version of STARS (Start…

Objective/Method: The use of brief, reliable, valid, and practical measures of substance use is critical for conducting individual assessments and program evaluation for integrated mental health-substance abuse services for persons with serious mental illness. This investigation examines the internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity,…

Previous research indicates that brief motivational interventions for college student drinkers may be less effective in group settings than individual settings. Social psychological theories about counterproductive group dynamics may partially explain this finding. The present study examined potential problems with group motivational interventions…

This report provides the most recent national indicators on school crime and safety. Some of these indicators document that student safety has improved. For example, the victimization rate of students ages 12-18 at school declined from 73 victimizations per 1,000 students in 2003 to 55 per 1,000 students victimizations in 2004. However, other…

A survey of 706 randomly sampled students at institutions of postsecondary education in Minnesota examined students' perceptions of violence and safety at their schools. Overall findings indicated that the majority of students had not been victims of violent acts and generally felt safe at their institutions. However, many respondents indicated…

This publication is the text of the House of Representatives bill, H.R. 5600 introduced to the U.S. Congress and titled "Children's Initiative." This legislation is designed to promote family preservation and the prevention of foster care with emphasis on families where abuse of alcohol or drugs is present, to improve the quality and…

Homeless people with alcohol and other drug problems present the traditional substance abuse services delivery provider with special challenges. This paper discusses the optimal designs of comprehensive treatment services for homeless persons with alcohol and other drug problems. Most importantly, the homeless must have immediate access to a safe…

In 1993, "Signs of Effectiveness in Preventing Alcohol and Other Drug Problems" appeared. It addressed alcohol and other drug use as a health problem influenced by risk factors in five life spheres or domains: individual, family, school, peer group, and community. Like its predecessor, "Signs of Effectiveness II" reports on…

This guide provides adolescents with information on depression. An introduction discusses symptoms of depression and lists famous people who were known to be depressed. Part 1, "What's Wrong," explores how it feels to be depressed, the causes and types of depression, and the connections between depression, suicide, and drug and alcohol abuse. A…

This document presents a review of the literature on the nature of alcohol and other drug problems among Hispanic American youth, analyzes a series of programs funded by the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP) for Hispanic Americans, and presents the results of an evaluation of those programs. The section reviewing literature on drug…

A study was done to examine student opinion of the social environment on the University of California Davis campus in Spring 1990 as a follow up to a similar study conducted in 1987. The study used the Student Opinion Survey and mailed it to a stratified random sample of 1,649 students. Of the surveys sent, 57.7 percent were returned. The…

This primer on fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) distinguishes between the syndrome and fetal alcohol effects (FAE), offers a history of FAS, outlines medical criteria for diagnosis, rates of incidence, factors influencing incidence and severity, developmental stages of children with FAS, clinical features, and educational implications and approaches.…

This document presents a follow-up report on a school-community partnership program developed and field tested by the Federal Way School District in Washington State from 1989 through 1993 and designed to focus on substance use intervention and prevention at Continuation and Contract-Based Education (CBE) High Schools. This report describes the…