Identifying High School Students "At Risk" for Substance Use and Other Behavioral Problems: Implications for Prevention

• NCJ Number: 213173
• Journal: Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 41 Issue: 1 Dated: 2006 Pages: 1-15
• Author(s): Denise Hallfors; Hyunsan Cho; Paul H. Brodish; Robert Flewelling; Shereen Khatapoush
• Date Published: 2006
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): DA13666-01A1
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study developed a screening protocol that utilizes attendance and grade point average (GPA) data to identify high school students at risk for substance abuse, suicide behaviors, and delinquency.

Abstract

Results indicate the efficacy of using a screening tool based on attendance, GPA, and teacher referral for identifying students potentially at risk for substance abuse, suicide behaviors, delinquency, and academic problems. Students assessed as high-risk by the protocol demonstrated more substance use problems, had more suicide risk behaviors, and were more likely to engage in delinquent behavior than students not meeting the protocol. High-risk students also showed consistent differences in risk and protective factors and in problem behaviors compared to typical students. Strengths of the screening protocol include the wide availability of school record data, the adapted cutpoints translate easily across school districts, and teacher referrals provide a supplement to the systematic school record screen. Each part of the screen was tested separately, leading to the recommendation that schools conduct serial screenings each semester and use the combined measure of GPA and truancy, with an option for teachers to refer students for screening as needed. Research methodology involved the examination of attendance (truancy) and GPA records from 10 high schools in San Antonio, TX and San Francisco, CA during the spring and fall of 2002. A screening protocol was developed that identified students as high-risk if they were in the top quartile for absences and were below the median GPA or were referred by a teacher. Survey data was then collected from 2 cohorts of students: 930 students identified by the screening protocol as high-risk and 393 “typical” students not meeting the protocol. Differences between the screening protocol variables and risk factors, protective factors, and problem outcomes were compared using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Future research should test the generalizability of the protocol. Tables, glossary, references