Reviews research on student assistance programs for early intervention in substance abuse and provides information from the evaluation of a multischool program in Washington state. Despite the widespread adoption of these programs, there is little substantiation of their effectiveness. Although participating students generally show improvements,…

In this study both college students and degreed nurses were asked to estimate the abuse potential and lethality of recreational drugs, both licit and illicit. Findings indicate that the illicit drugs under consideration were perceived as presenting the greatest danger to the user. Dangers attributed to the use of licit recreational drugs were…

This study compared prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use among 123 adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) and 138 nondisabled students. Only tobacco and marijuana use was proportionally higher for adolescents with learning disabilities. Scores on the Adolescent Drinking Index were reliable predictors of marijuana use for LD…

Correlational analyses examined in 81 incarcerated substance abusers revealed significant relationships among parental substance abuse, family dynamics, and exposure to both child and adult maltreatment. These variables were associated with subjects' own later substance abuse. An intergenerational model of these variables is applied to…

An implementation analysis conducted as part of a two-year study of residential and nonresidential treatment programs for the dually diagnosed (psychiatric illness and substance abuse disorders) homeless (n=276) found significant differences in client engagement and retention and variations in treatment conditions. (SLD)

The Young Inmate Initiative of the New York Department of Correctional Services has three objectives: (1) raise inmates' educational level (the number earning high school equivalency diplomas has tripled); (2) provide enhanced services such as vocational training, substance abuse education, and aggression replacement (communication between inmates…

Aggregate data on drug use may be misleading relative to the magnitude of the problem among specific segments of the population. This paper analyzes several false but commonly held beliefs about drug use in the African American community reflected in the literature and explores the implications of such beliefs for treatment, intervention, and…

Trainees in a transition program for incarcerated adults (198 females, 492 males) on work release or prerelease status were found to be predominately field dependent. Training methods based on a field-dependent learning style were recommended to improve the transition to employment. (JOW)

Reports on the development and construct validation of two measures of high-risk sexual behavior for heterosexual adolescents. It was hypothesized that specific risky sexual behaviors would be interrelated, and that the cluster of high-risk sexual behaviors would be correlated with measures of other adolescent problem behaviors. Results provide…

The relationship of parental alcoholism to eating disorder symptomology and substance abuse in a nonclinical sample of college women was examined. In addition, differences among adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) related to level of distress concerning parental alcohol use was examined. Results add additional evidence to the notion that not all…

Lists 36 references and abstracts of publications on drug and alcohol use of American Indian youth, by staff of the Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, since 1978. Includes papers on high rates of use, epidemiology, psychosocial correlates of use, prevention, and treatment. (SV)

Describes school-based Student Assistance Programs (SAPs), which are designed to reduce adolescents' substance abuse. Notes that SAPs, modeled after Employee Assistance Programs in workplace, are identifying, assessing, referring, and managing cases of substance-abusing students. Sees adoption of SAP model as accelerating in response to growing…

Surveyed eleventh-grade students (n=262) to compare two measures of parental drinking problems. Students who were distressed or discomforted by their parents' drinking did not differ from other youth on measured outcomes. Students who said their parents had been treated for alcohol and drug problems differed on several variables, including…

Surveyed undergraduate students (n=152) to examine whether there is a relationship between an early first intoxication experience and development of alcohol or drug problems in later college life. Results indicated that those students who reported earliest experiences of intoxication also reported greatest frequency of substance abuse problems.…

Examined substance use among academically successful high school students. Findings from 3,331 first-year students and 3,515 juniors revealed that over 70 percent of academically successful students reported some type of drug use. Negative association between drug use and academic achievement may be counterbalanced by mediating factors, such as…