The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of students and parents pertaining to security measures within and immediately surrounding residence halls. Also examined what students and parents believed could be done to create a nonthreatening environment for students living in residence halls. (Author)

Data from the National Institute for Mental Health's Epidemiologic Catchment Areas Survey followed 7,103 parents who denied physical abuse/neglect of their children in Wave I but admitted it in Wave II, 1 year later. Social and demographic variables were limited predictors of maltreatment, while substance abuse disorders and depression were…

Studied the influence of parenting, personality, and school adjustment on early adolescent substance use in 1,023 middle school students. Findings indicate similarity in etiology of early adolescent substance use across gender and ethnicity; the importance of examining multiple domains of influence on adolescent substance use; and the need to…

Twenty-six youth, randomly assigned to either a supportive counseling or a new behavioral treatment group, received six months of treatment. Behavioral treatment attempted to restructure family and peer relations and to control urges. At treatment's conclusion, 9% of supportive counseling youth remained abstinent, versus 73% of behavioral group…

Presents data on the extent, nature, and consequences of adolescent substance abuse. Definition of substance abuse is considered. Discusses primary and secondary prevention programs, including programs targeting high-risk youth, school and peer group, families, and communities. Outlines tertiary prevention efforts and emphasizes the need for…

This study examined parental reports of dissatisfaction with boys of fathers without a history of substance abuse and those fathers with such a history. Higher dissatisfaction ratings by both mothers and fathers and other indicators of dysfunction were found in the families in which fathers had a history of substance abuse. (LKS)

Variables associated with sexual abuse were examined among youth, ages 5 through 18, with severe mental illness. Review of 499 patient records revealed abuse as an isolated event in 62 cases, intermittent abuse in 61 cases, and chronic abuse in 150. Sexual abuse was associated with inappropriate sexual behaviors, substance abuse, and posttraumatic…

Discusses the Free to Grow initiative, a five-year program aimed at increasing the capacity of Head Start to help prevent substance abuse. The collaborative program is designed to assist a number of local Head Start programs to develop and implement model substance abuse prevention projects that will strengthen both the families and neighborhoods…

Site visits to three demonstration projects for high-risk Hispanic youth examined factors affecting collaboration between substance abuse prevention agencies and Hispanic natural support systems (NSS). A developmental framework outlines four phases in collaboration: assessing NSS, identifying and mapping NSS, relationship building, and…

Counseling students who evaluated a school-based substance abuse training model praised the opportunity to receive specialized experiences and skill development not available in the regular counseling curriculum. The program succeeded in training counselors to design and implement prevention and intervention programs in the school setting. (RJM)

Case files (n=284) from a social services agency and juvenile court were reviewed to investigate how cases involving drug-exposed infants were processed. Data showed an overrepresentation of African American and Hispanic cases and underrepresentation of Caucasian and Asian cases. About 80% of children were removed from the mother; about one-third…

This article addresses the advantages, disadvantages, and possible solutions to increased administrative problems posed by five proposed new categories of behavioral disorders: (1) attention deficit disorder, (2) traumatic brain injury, (3) fetal alcohol syndrome, (4) prenatal substance abuse, and (5) fragile X syndrome. (DB)

This paper discusses the connection between the characteristics of childhood abuse survivors (chronic depression, revictimization, sexual compulsivity, substance abuse, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) high-risk behaviors); examines the clinical implications of these connections; and outlines recommendations based on a case study, such as…

Studied sexual activity, substance use, and assault among Black children from first grade through age 17. Adolescents with multiple problems differed from others in behavior and parental supervision. Males who only engaged in sexual activity or who had no problems were similar; but females in the same categories differed in family origins. (BC)

Among 110 Mexican-American adolescents with varying drug use histories, self-reported physical health problems were not related to inhalant use history, but blood analyses indicated a relationship between extensive inhalant use and liver problems. Psychological distress symptoms were related to inhalant use and physical symptoms. Contains 23…