NCJ Number
164010
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Research Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1996) Pages: 130-163
Date Published
1996
Length
34 pages
Annotation
Project Success is a comprehensive middle school program involving early intervention for alcohol and other drug use by high-risk youth; the program is designed to reduce risk factors and to increase resiliency across environmental domains.
Abstract
The target population for Project Success was comprised of 7th and 8th grade students in a California school district who were likely to be at high risk for alcohol and other drug use. Students were assessed using a battery of tests in order to develop individualized interventions. Project Success focused on individual, school, community, and family domains, and both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to examine the effectiveness of Project Success in each of these domains. For 6 to 12 months, each cohort of students participated in various individual and group interventions, such as periodic contact, counseling, and parent education. Interventions with parents included periodic contact, counseling, and parent education. Environmental interventions consisted of training school staff in risk and resiliency strategies, the development of an intervention team to access school resources, and linkages with the community to offer positive alternatives. Youth referred to the project had higher levels of alcohol and other drug use and risk, lower self-esteem, more school absences, and lower grades than normative peers. Environmental interventions demonstrated positive effects on participating students by maintaining lower than expected alcohol and other drug use levels, with reductions in risk levels and failing grades. 42 references and 7 tables