In 1983 the Nebraska Prevention Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse began a project to develop and evaluate an educational program designed to discourage young people from taking up the smoking habit and to encourage those who smoke to quit. The second evaluation of this smoking curriculum had two components: a 1-year follow-up evaluation of the…

For more than a decade, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) has supported demonstration programs designed to identify interventions that work with high-risk populations to prevent substance abuse, delay its onset, and reduce substance abuse-related behaviors. Research now…

Programs and services that prevent substance abuse and mental health disorders have the potential to lessen an enormous burden of suffering and to reduce both the cost of future treatment and lost productivity at work and home. The availability and accessibility of these interventions to Americans whose health care is provided by managed care…

This report reviews findings of research and clinical experience, which demonstrate clearly that addictive disorders differ in important ways between males and females. Addiction issues for women are highlighted including the prevalence of addiction, risk factors for women, and consequences of addiction. Also included are descriptions of womens…

Uses a review-of-reviews approach across four areas (substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, school failure, and juvenile delinquency and violence) to identify characteristics consistently associated with effective prevention programs. Programs were comprehensive, included varied teaching methods, provided sufficient dosage, were theory driven,…

Compared substance use and problem behavior of students who participated in "I'm Special" Program (ISP) in fourth grade and of non-participants during later school years. Found proportion of current substance users and incidence of related problem behavior were significantly lower among ISP graduates, especially in grades five through seven. ISP…

Effects of the "Choices" program for reduction of unhealthy behaviors among student athletes (N=190) were evaluated. Program components are described. Pretest and posttest assessment was conducted. Results are compared to national norms and discussed. Unexpected results may be due to the program or response rate on posttest. (EMK)

Article examines a Drug Court that offers culturally specific programming as a strategy to enhance retention in the treatment of female and African-American male substance abuse offenders. Study found that mandating treatment was insufficient to foster client engagement. Retention was significantly enhanced by treatment that recognized cultural…

The authors discuss that the curriculum design of the TARGET group is based on the life-saving metaphor to guide the program beyond what has been experienced in the past as a broken record practice about resistance to substance misuse and abuse. The first premise is that the personal capacity for residing or being resilient toward risk-taking…

This article will provide information about two worthwhile programs that deal with education of high school athletes about use and abuse of steroids and other areas. Based on rationale and expressed need, program descriptions will be provided including summaries of relevant program results. Guidelines for what practitioners need to consider when…

The project described in this article addresses the therapeutic use of physical space in an outpatient counseling facility. It was theorized that an improved facility environment could be used as a practice tool when working with a vulnerable population. The authors undertook the project with limited time and finances. The process of the change…

The effectiveness of motivational enhancement therapy (MET) in comparison with counseling as usual (CAU) for increasing retention and reducing substance use was evaluated in a multisite randomized clinical trial. Participants were 461 outpatients treated by 31 therapists within 1 of 5 outpatient substance abuse programs. There were no retention…

This paper proposes a new bipartisan initiative to strengthen the effectiveness of U.S. social programs by focusing funds within each program on research-proven projects, practices, and strategies ("interventions"). The proposal seeks neither an increase nor decrease in overall program funding; rather, its central aim is to maximize the…

Substance abuse among school age youth continues to be a significant and costly problem in U.S. society. Schools are asked with increasing frequency to become involved in finding and implementing solutions. A review of the literature regarding school-based substance abuse prevention programs reveals their evolution from a basic informational…

This handbook has been written to enable schools and community agency staff to carry out required evaluations under the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. However, its applicability is not restricted to programs supported through that Act. The handbook describes the why and how of program evaluation and outlines the steps in conducting…