This paper describes successful indoor adventure activities that are used in the Georgia correctional system for treating substance abuse with adolescents and adults. An experiential style of learning is appropriate for adolescent and adult offenders who have typically not done well in traditional settings and are usually slow- or poorly-achieving…

This evaluation report describes a program designed to reduce substance abuse among students by establishing a comprehensive peer program in the middle schools (grades 6 through 8). The background of the project is reviewed, five important aspects of a peer helper program are listed, and three intervention strategies of peer assistance programs…

Eight exemplary programs for preventing alcohol and other drug abuse are presented in this document. These programs are summarized: (1) SUPER II Early Intervention Program, Atlanta, Georgia, which serves primarily inner-city youth ages 11-17 and their families through community agencies, juvenile courts, alternative schools, and public housing;…

Between 1988 and 1990, nearly 14,000 American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents living in rural areas and on reservations participated in the Adolescent Health Survey of health and risk behaviors. Although the findings may not be representative of Native adolescents, as a convenience sample was used, some findings of the survey were: (1) less…

In 1977, a longitudinal study was undertaken to determine the effects of health curricula on children's knowledge level; their attitudes toward good health practices; and their smoking, drinking, and drug-use behavior. Knowledge and attitude tests and a student survey were administered to students who entered kindergarten in 1977. These children…

This project is part of a multi-year program to gather detailed information about substance-use patterns among Texans. Investigators interviewed a total of 946 youths, age 10 to 17, as they entered Texas Youth Commission (TYC) reception facilities. Results show that 81% of TYC youth have used illicit substances--51% in their last month on the…

Substance abuse is pervasive in both rural and urban settings. Previous attempts to educate America's youth as to its dangers have not reduced the numbers of adolescents involved in the drug culture. The assertiveness-based "Just Say No" campaign attempts to counter peer pressure to use drugs, but is hampered by our society's…

New Jersey Law requires the Commissioner of Education to monitor the incidence of violence and vandalism in the public schools. Presented in this commissioner's report are summaries of district incident reports for the 1989-90 school year and comparisons with prior years (1984-89). The aggregated annual data exclude causes and circumstantial…

This report details results of an early 1991 national survey of federal liaisons for state child abuse and neglect programs. Nationwide, child abuse reports increased 31% between 1985 and 1990. An estimated 39 out of every 1,000 U.S. children were reported as victims of child maltreatment, an average 4% increase over the previous year which is a…

The recent success of the United States antismoking movement has produced a marked decline in the U.S. smoking population. A study employed Jurgen Habermas' communicative competency theory to examine United States smoking controversy discourse and identify the most successful appeals of the antismoking movement. Analysis revealed that primary…

This curriculum guide for high-school students presents in-depth coverage of the full range of content related to drugs, including tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, narcotics, and hallucinogens. It is part of a series designed to provide educators with the curricular tools necessary to challenge students to take personal responsibility for…

Substance abuse among adolescents continues to be a serious problem and a national concern. Most of the research on family correlates of substance abuse has been conducted with teenage addicts and has consisted primarily of reports obtained from the substance abusing adolescent only. This study attempted to identify clusters of family variables…

This third chapter in "Elementary School Counseling in a Changing World" contains five journal articles which focus on substance abuse prevention. "Perspectives on Substance Abuse Prevention" by John Horan, Andres Kerns, and Christine Olson emphasizes how important it is for children to be able to say "no" to drugs and provides a review of…

A review of the assessment literature on substance abuse has revealed 27 separate instruments for assessing substance abuse. These include 22 alcohol instruments and five instruments for assessing other drug abuse. The instruments are listed in a table that provides the title, source, description, population, and psychometric properties of each…

This manual was written to help schools address the problem of youth suicide. The introduction presents a teenager's and a parent's perspective of youth suicide, discusses the problem of youth suicide, and develops a hypothesis of why the problem exists. Section 1 describes the contributing factors involved with adolescent suicide and provides…