Alcoholic beverage consumption among high school students has shifted from beer to liquor. The current longitudinal study examined the effects of beverage-specific alcohol use on drinking behaviors among urban youth. Data included 731 adolescents who participated in Project Northland Chicago and reported consuming alcohol in 7th grade. Logistic…

This study explored beverage-specific alcohol consumption patterns among a sample of high school students over a two-year period. Four hundred fifty-five students completed the validated questionnaire at all three time points (2002, 2003, 2004). Variables of interest included five use measures (past year use, 30-day frequency, quantity, heavy use,…

This randomized experiment evaluates the attitudes and behavioral intentions of 458 undergraduate college students about intervening with the intent of preventing an illegal retail purchase of tobacco products by a minor after exposure to a factorial combination of three pieces of information. MANOVA results show that none of the treatment…

The purpose of this study was to develop a new measure of incidental behaviors that put college students at increased risk of legal consequences while using alcohol, the Legal Risk Behaviors while using Alcohol (LRBA) scale. Two hundred and twenty one college students who used alcohol were recruited to complete an online study about their use of…

Transactional associations of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) and risk-amplifying behaviors (RAB) to alcohol-related negative consequences were tested. A sample of 138 undergraduate women was assessed with self-report measures at two time points four months apart. Over and above quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, engagement in…

Restricting alcohol consumption on campus is a measure often used by college administrators to prevent alcohol abuse and-alcohol-related problems. The effect of dry campus policies on alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems, however, remains poorly understood. This report will compare characteristics of two dry campuses with descriptions…

American alcohol education and prevention efforts for youth emphasize abstinence. In support of this approach, epidemiologists conclude that early drinking by adolescents increases the lifetime likelihood of alcohol dependence and that overall drinking levels in a society are directly linked to drinking problems. At the same time, cultural,…

Studies have shown that cigarette smokers are generally aware of increased health risks associated with smoking, but that smokers tend to underestimate their own susceptibility to disease. In general, optimistic bias has been shown to increase with greater perceived control over an event or behavior; however, this phenomenon has not been examined…

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a culturally tailored smoking prevention program for Asian American youth (Youth-PASS). A field-tested questionnaire was used to solicit information from participants on knowledge, attitudes and behaviors associated with tobacco and tobacco use, as well as satisfaction with prevention program content and…

A sample of 218 college students investigated associations between coping responses, drinking motivations, expectations of meeting social and academic goals, and family of origin problem drinking and measures of college students' quantity/frequency of alcohol use and social complications of alcohol use. (KW)

Surveyed over 900 students in the rural northwest in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10 for alcohol and drug use. Measures self-reported usage of seventeen substances. The descriptive statistical results are reported by gender as well as grade-level usage rates. Discussion includes targeting drug prevention programs for specific grade and gender levels based…

This paper focuses upon patterns of alcohol abuse and permissiveness among a sample of 230 high school students residing in a U.S. military community in Europe. Patterns of abuse are seen as symptomatic of the military life style and the homogeneity of the environment surrounding the respondents. (Author)

Military offenders' (N=69) attitudes towards drugs, knowledge about drugs, and reported drug abuse histories were analyzed. Results indicated a significantly positive relationship between all three variables. Military offenders who had drug use histories also had more liberal attitudes toward drug use and a greater degree of knowledge about drugs.…

This paper reports a segment of findings from a statewide study of the incidence and characteristics of prescription and non-prescription drug use among middle-aged, middle-class females (N=68) in Florida. Sample demographics are reported, and abusers, users, and drug non-users are compared on responses given to perception questions. (Author)

Studies the convergence between current drug use and the use of drugs in the future by adolescents. The overall pattern suggests sources other than previous drug experience must be considered in attempting to explain intentions for future use. (Author)