NCJ Number
190575
Journal
SAMHSA News Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2001 Pages: 4-6
Editor(s)
Deborah Goodman
Date Published
2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This study examined predicting and preventing substance abuse.
Abstract
The study was developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. It attempted to determine why some children develop substance abuse problems and others exposed to the same conditions do not. It also attempted to determine what strategies could increase the potential for children to lead healthy, drug-free lives. Specifically, it attempted to establish the developmental stages of childhood at which particular strategies worked best. It examined four variables that might influence how children ages 3 to 14 grow to adulthood: social competence, self-regulation, parental involvement, and academic achievement and school bonding. Ten sites participated in a program emphasizing academic instruction, social skills training, specialized sports and hobby development, recreation, and family support. The study has developed some early findings, including: (1) significant improvement in an intervention group relative to a control group in regard to improved family practices; (2) parents in the intervention group decreased their use of harsh strategies; (3) intervention group children showed greater posttest reduction in aggressive/disruptive behavior; and (4) the intervention group of 12- to 14-year-olds increased drug use only slightly, while the control group nearly doubled its use.