NCJ Number
197162
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: 2002 Pages: 43-65
Date Published
2002
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This article describes the outcome of a drug prevention/early intervention program for court-referred adolescent males in a residential treatment facility.
Abstract
Youth were randomly assigned as either program participants (Group A), or as control subjects (Group C). Group A members participated in a special classroom program that consisted of three modalities, in addition to the basic residential program. The modalities were the Botvin Life Skills Training (LST) model, the Prothrow/Stith (P-S) Anti-Violence model, and a Values Clarification (V.C.) procedure. Group C members participated in the basic residential treatment program. It was not possible to determine which of the three different modalities were effective in determining the two positive outcomes: the reduction in use of drugs, and the reduction in the selling of drugs. However, the evidence from both the dosage analysis and the process analysis suggest that these positive outcomes were related primarily to the effects of the participation in the P-S Anti-Violence program, but were not related to the Values Clarification program. Eighty-two percent of the participants reported at discharge that what they had learned from the Botvin LST was “useful and helpful” to them. The ratings by the instructor-presenter showed that those Group A members that participated more actively in the LST classroom sessions also learned more about the harmful effects of alcohol and tobacco. It was expected that the Group A participants would also make a significant reduction in their total degree of illegal behavior and in their degree of violent, illegal behavior. But that did not occur. Those that attended more of the P-S Anti-Violence sessions and were rated as expressing more critical thinking about the problem did report a relatively greater reduction in violent behavior at follow-up. The outcome evaluation showed that the program participants reported significantly greater reduction in drug use and in the selling of drugs, compared to the control group, and that these problems were addressed and worked on by the Botvin LST program, and were not addressed by the P-S Anti-Violence program. 4 tables, 31 references