The relationship between the number of suicidal communications prior to an attempt and the lethality of the attempt is investigated. Attempters who made fewer suicidal communications tended to use more lethal methods. A history of drug abuse was more prevalent in the low communication group. (Author/EMK)

Examines group work with transgendered male-to-female adolescents who engage in sex work. Provides an overview of the role that sex work plays in the lives of some transgendered youth, using case examples, and offers guidance for those utilizing group work approaches with transgendered adolescents. Discusses homelessness and institutionalization,…

Evaluates family-based substance abuse prevention program implemented in a rural community for families with middle school students. In comparison with nonparticipants, students had higher family cohesion, less family fighting, greater school attachment, higher self-esteem, and believed alcohol should be consumed at an older age, at one-year…

Components of healing are spiritual, relational, and intergenerational. This narrative report reaches beyond an intellectual understanding for a "healing spirit" for American Indian women in recovery. Four intersecting circles of spiritual and cultural understanding speak to balance and wellness, the colonization experience and addiction…

Describes a game that illuminates the dangers of chronic drug use. Provides facts, quotes, and episodic consequences that can adversely affect each player's mental and physical health, social support, and financial/legal situation. Discusses the game's conceptual underpinnings, development, and empirical findings. Lists potential applications in…

Investigated life contexts and activities of youth living with HIV as peer leaders in community-based programs delivering HIV education to uninfected adolescents. Identified and categorized difficulties experiences by peer leaders in areas of professional boundaries, substance abuse, and sexual behaviors that placed themselves and uninfected peers…

Reviews alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use by youth in the United Kingdom, and explores some problems with drug education in Scottish schools. Discusses teachers' lack of confidence in their own credibility as drug educators; moral dilemmas arising from values conflicts between teachers, students, and families; teacher responsibilities; and…

Study tests two models to compare the effects of risk and resiliency across gender and ethnicity. Results support the model in which risk and resiliency are discrete sets of factors and demonstrate that overall resiliency factors play a larger role than risk factors in substance use and drug resistance processes. Gender proved to be an important…

Family influence has been established as one of the strongest sources of risk and protection when considering adolescent substance abuse. Theories used to view the family influence include family systems theory; social cognitive theory; social control theory; and strain theory. Specific family-based risk and protective factors include family…

Reviews and interprets some recent literature on substance abuse problems and treatments among women. Major risk factors include childhood sexual or physical abuse, domestic violence, and a spouse or partner who abuses substances. Discusses the enormous problems of access to treatment for women with minor children. (JPS)

Points out the growing crisis among American adolescents, with approximately half of adolescents at moderate or greater risk for engaging in unsafe sexual behaviors, teenage pregnancy, and teenage child-bearing; drug and alcohol use and abuse; school underachievement, failure, and dropout; and delinquency and crime. Calls for increased research on…

Interviewed Bucharest street children, most between 11 and 15 years of age. Found that most left families, not institutions. Half were from intact families characterized by many children, an incarcerated parent, physical violence, sexual abuse, or alcoholism. Most worked either begging or in casual labor, and engaged in substance abuse.…

An evaluation of case management services to families on public assistance suggests that a "logic model" and an "open systems" evaluation approach might be useful in program evaluation. A second study describes how the logic model and open systems evaluation were used to develop an evaluation plan for services to homeless…

Study represents one of the first undertaken exclusively with students who brought weapons to school. Questions examined measures of student and family relationships, as well as attitudes and behavior among students caught with weapons at school. Findings support the need for substance abuse assessments and family interventions that strengthen…

Discusses what to do when substance-abuse-prevention efforts for adolescents fail, examining differences between normal experimentation and substance abuse, how to spot a problem, where to turn for help, how to get adolescents into treatment, treatment options, and aftercare for continuing support. One sidebar explains that no drugs are harmless;…