Examined the interactive effects of religious proscriptiveness, church involvement, and church importance on adolescents' (N=238) substance use. Results indicate that religious proscriptiveness interacted with church involvement and with church importance in relation to adolescent use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, and other drugs. Suggests…

Describes the establishment of a multifamily therapy program within an adult substance abuse treatment facility. Reports on a study in which the effectiveness of multifamily therapy was assessed with regard to women in treatment. Findings indicate that multifamily therapy is an extremely positive intervention for female substance abuse clients.…

Following the National Alliance of Safe Schools' recommendations, a suburban New Jersey school district developed a successful school/police liaison program, issued photo ID cards, and initiated a "safe haven," zero-tolerance substance abuse policy. The district metes out immediate, serious penalties for violations, but also teaches…

In a study of 66 in-utero drug exposed (IUDE) infants, evaluated infant cognitive status, caregiver-infant interaction, and caregiver cognitive functioning (IQ) to determine which caregiver variables were associated with infant cognitive status. Analysis indicated that caregiver IQ was the only statistically significant coefficient in the model…

Presents a three-dimensional model for conceptualizing existing prevention programs, defining and measuring effects of prevention programs, and making a connection between those programmatic effects, and the interests of the funder. This paper describes the methodology and its use for promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of substance abuse…

Examines polydrug use among adolescents residing in an inner-city region by Hispanic ethnicity (Puerto Rican versus Dominican) and gender. Results indicate that in the first year of middle school, gender moderated the effect of Hispanic ethnicity on lifetime polydrug use. Concludes that both Hispanic ethnicity and gender mattered in determining…

The "Stages of Change Scale-Substance Abuse" (SCS-SA) was developed to measure readiness to change among individuals in treatment for substance abuse and was field tested with 457 participants. Factor analysis on SCS-SA items defined 4 subscales: Precontemplation, Determination, Participation, and Relapse. The SCS-SA appears to have potential in…

Investigates alcohol treatment among Alaska Natives. Time between age at diagnosis and first treatment was similar for men and women. Women were more likely to be parents and reported more contact with health and mental health providers. Among men, acting as a parent, lifetime depression, and type of professional consulted were significantly…

Surveys inner-city adolescents, asking questions about hopelessness, violent and aggressive behavior, substance use, sexual behavior, and accidental injury. Nearly 50% of males and 25% of females had moderate or severe feelings of hopelessness. Moreover, hopelessness predicted of each of the risk behaviors considered. Suggestions are made for…

Examines the differences between sexually abused and non-sexually abused adolescent females in the foster care system. The girls who had been sexually abused exhibited significantly more behavioral difficulties, including internalizing and externalizing problems. When co-occurrence of substance use and mental health problems were examined,…

Reviewed 120 closed client folders from the Family Counseling Service of Northern Nevada to study outcomes related to anxiety level. Indicated clients with higher state-anxiety and trait-anxiety generally benefited less from treatment. Showed test scores could be used to predict treatment-outcome group. (FC)

Evaluates the Personal Experience Inventory for convergent and predictive validity in a clinical sample of 140 youths being evaluated for drug treatment referral. Compares problem severity scales to concurrent client and parent measures of drug abuse and related psychosocial functioning at intake and one year later, to counselor intake ratings, to…

Examined the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs by a class of medical students that was surveyed in both its first and third year. Few of the students in their third year reported using any substance other than alcohol more than once a month, with the use of illicit substances comparable to that of chronological peers. (MDM)

Examined three models to understand how substance use within best friendships, peer cliques, and social crowds predicts adolescents' substance involvement. Findings based on surveys completed by 377 high school juniors and seniors suggest that each of these three dimensions of the peer context uniquely predict adolescent substance use. Discusses…

Reports findings from a national longitudinal cross-site evaluation of high-risk youth to clarify the relationships between risk and protective factors and substance use. Findings suggest that multi-dimensional prevention programming stressing the fostering of conventional anti-substance use attitudes among parents and peers and development of…