Research shows that social norms interventions, which aim to educate individuals and groups on their actual attitudinal and behavioural norms relating to alcohol, cigarette and drug use,incur some success in reducing positive attitudes to substance use and rates of substance use. The research aimed to investigate the extent of misperceptions…

Prescription drug misuse is a major health problem, particularly among teens. A key step in curbing misuse is the development of effective prescription drug prevention messages. This paper explores the elements of prescription drug misuse prevention messages that resonate with teens using data from focus groups with seventh and eighth grade…

This qualitative study examined the drug resistance strategies of Hawaiian youth residing in rural communities in Hawai'i. Forty seven youth participated in 14 focus groups which focused on the social and environmental context of drug use for these youth. The findings indicated that there were 47 references to resistance strategies used in drug…

Survey research was used to explore the beliefs of 963 staff members regarding the myths to treating tobacco dependence and the integration of tobacco dependence into substance abuse treatment programs. The staff represented a mixture of residential, outpatient, and prevention-based gender-specific (women only) treatment centers throughout Ohio.…

A "train-the-trainer" workshop was developed to evaluate and enhance presentational skills and offered to 14 youth in grades 6-12 and 9 administrators from youth-focused community agencies in Indiana. Upon workshop completion, 7 youth and 6 adults functioned as presenters of a 1 1/2-hour module on refusal and resistance skills to 95 youth enrolled…

Research Aim: This research aimed to provide an anecdotal perception of student substance use according to the teachers' personal experience in the Irish secondary level educational setting. Methodology: Sampling Interviews were conducted with teachers (n=95) at 10 randomly selected schools in County Carlow in the South East of Ireland, as part of…

This research examines the importance of trust in the classroom, and answers the following questions: 1) is trust important to create and maintain in the classroom? 2) What is the significance of trust between a teacher and a student, and 3) do students trust their drug and alcohol educators? In-depth interviews were conducted with 38 middle…

Public schools are under increased pressure to implement evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs. A number of model programs have been identified, but little research has examined the effectiveness of these programs when "brought to scale" or implemented district-wide. The current paper summarizes the application of the Adelman and…

Article presents findings of a qualitative study conducted with a group of 19 American Indian students. Participants in small gender-specific focus groups reported on strategies most commonly used to avoid offers of alcohol and other drugs. Primary strategies identified were redirecting, avoiding/leaving, and refusing. Implications for…

In pilot study, special education teachers were exposed to experiences designed to enhance their skills in adapting substance abuse prevention activities and materials for their students. Although pilot students noted an increase in their teachers' emphasis on substance abuse prevention and their criterion-related attitudes/behaviors improved…

Study seeks to determine if ethnic and gender differences in polydrug use exist among a cohort of inner-city adolescents during the three-year middle school period (N=2,354). Results of self-report questionnaires reveal that Asian and Black adolescents generally reported less polydrug use than White and Hispanic youth, and that boys engaged in…

Survey of residence hall staff (RHS) reports estimates of student substance abuse and related problems, level of knowledge about these drugs, frequency of problems experienced and interventions employed, and the degree of confidence in utilizing specific intervention skills. Results indicate that RHS see their role as a combination of counselor…

Study identifies and examines prevention resources developed to address the problem of adolescent solvent abuse. Prevention materials were coded according to targeted age group, ethnicity, and media format. Results suggest that specific prevention messages are often used with specific age groups, cultural content, and media formats. (Contains 32…

Reports on survey of principals' and teachers' views of D.A.R.E. officers' effectiveness with students. Most predictive of the educator ratings was the perceived quality of teacher-officer interaction. Future research on the relationship between prevention education programs and various stakeholders is discussed. (Author/JDM)

Compares four subgroups of young adult drug users based on secondary analysis of data originally collected in 1993. Consistent with results from clinical studies, polydrug users were far more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors. Findings demonstrate the need to offer a full complement of drug rehabilitation and education services to…