NCJ Number
163473
Journal
Evaluation Review Volume: 20 Issue: 1 Dated: (February 1996) Pages: 49-66
Date Published
1996
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The long-term effectiveness of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program was assessed by contrasting 9th grade students who received the program in the 6th grade with others who did not receive the program.
Abstract
Of 38 Colorado Springs elementary schools eligible for DARE programs, 21 received the program and 17 did not. A total of 940 of 1,470 9th graders received questionnaires that asked about their exposure to the DARE program. Of the 940 respondents, the final sample consisted of 849 9th graders: 497 (59 percent) who received DARE and 352 (41 percent) who did not. Seven constructs were used to examine DARE outcomes: self-esteem, polydrug use, delay of experimentation onset, drug use attitudes, bonds with police, resistance to peer pressure, and bonds with family. Employing latent variables to represent the constructs, no significant differences occurred between DARE participants and controls. Specifically, the strongest effects of DARE were manifested shortly after program implementation. While a significant long-term impact of DARE participation was not demonstrated, students in both DARE and control groups were doing well, an encouraging outcome. The relatively high costs of the DARE program are examined in relation to its benefits. 22 references, 1 note, 1 table, and 2 figures