Reports on the results of a study of 119 youth at the Hillsborough County, Florida, Juvenile Assessment Center involving community-based intervention. Results indicate that males were more involved in delinquent activities, whereas females came from troubled family backgrounds. Presents conclusions regarding the health service implications of…

Study used self-report questionnaire data from high school students to determine the relation between adolescents' perception of family characteristics and adolescent substance use patterns. Results indicate adolescents' perception of maternal substance use, family hardiness, and age of the adolescent were significant predictors of substance use.…

A 3-year follow-up study of alcohol prevention among 4,406 children showed that neither a comprehensive school curriculum nor a community intervention was successful in preventing adolescent drinking. Predictor variables for drinking are examined and the importance of tolerance and encouragement of drinking by adult role models are noted. (Author)

Based on Aristotelian ethics, an "Adolescent Ethical Behavior in Leisure Scale" (AEBLS) was developed. Data from high- and low-risk adolescents were used to examine correlations between AEBLS scores and measures of substance use, school bonding, and dispositional leisure boredom. Results support the use of AEBLS scores to discriminate…

Uses the concept of cross-pressures to predict frequency of adolescent alcohol, cigarette, and drug use. Eighth-, 10th-, and 12-grade respondents reported frequency of alcohol, cigarette, and drug use for 30 days prior to the survey. They also reported perceptions of friends' approval/disapproval of substance use, peer pressure to use, and their…

Surveys of 30 mental health service providers and 74 American Indian consumers of such services in Butte, Montana, examined mental health services offered for adults and children, service use by American Indians, referral practices, providers' and consumers' perceptions of the mental health needs of American Indians, and consumers' interest in…

Describes the evaluation of two multimedia programs that are used to teach secondary age youth about substance abuse and recovery. Results suggest that the programs offer valuable information in a desirable format. Many of the youth felt reacted positively to the programs. (Author/AEF)

A study involving 109 female adolescents with serious emotional disturbances (ages 9-18) found the following risk factors for early pregnancy: being African American, low family income, dropping out of school, conduct disorder, and substance use disorder. However, according to multivariate analysis, only dropping out of school was a significant…

Prevention and developmental sciences have many complementary goals and much to gain by collaboration. The article introduces this special issue, which includes four empirical articles using growth modeling techniques (hierarchical linear modeling, latent growth curve analyses) to examine direct and indirect effects of theory-based, longitudinal…

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a student's spirituality and religious beliefs and the impact of those beliefs on the decision to use substances. Results indicate that spirituality may play a significant role in the decision of college students to use substances. (Author)

This article identifies the potential affect of alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) on people who are blind or visually impaired, the barriers to providing effective AODA services for those people, and strategies for improving services for people with coexisting blindness or visual impairments and AODA. (Contains references.) (CR)

Studied suicidal ideation among 20 male and 20 female high school students from each of 3 ethnic groups: African American, Hispanic, and White. Ideation did not vary by ethnicity, but females, substance abusers, and those with greater tolerance toward suicide, higher family coping, and lower self-esteem were more likely to report suicidal…

Reports results of school safety survey administered to middle and high school students in Virginia. Assessed attitudes towards aggressive and high-risk behaviors including weapon carrying, fighting, and substance abuse. Discusses implications for future use of school surveys and identification of high risk students. (Author/JDM)

Surveyed secondary school students regarding their perceptions of college student drinking. Most 7th graders had normative perceptions of collegiate drinking. Adolescent substance use most closely related to peer norms. Perceptions of collegiate drinking independently related to alcohol use intensity, drinking onset, and indicators of tobacco and…

Adolescent suicidal ideation and its relationship to other variables was tapped by a questionnaire administered to 88 high school seniors. Those who reported suicidal ideation differed from those who did not on several variables including: family relationships; family history of depression; peer relations; drug use; and grade point average.…