Teaching students decision-making skills is integral to many drug education programs. Conducted series of studies examining elementary and secondary school students' attitudes toward making decisions. Found different age groups perceived making decisions differently. Suggests practitioners need to take maturational levels into consideration when…

Administered questionnaires to 63 pregnant nullipara to determine factors that may influence their decision to stop smoking following childbirth. Results revealed three factors which contributed equally to explaining variance: perceived self-efficacy, smoking habits during pregnancy, and attitude. Also found significant differences between…

Administered parental attitude questionnaire to alcoholic and nonalcoholic male veterans. Found significant differences between groups on six scales (Encouraging Verbalization, Avoiding Harsh Punishment, Encouraging Emotional Expression, Irresponsibility of Father, Inconsiderateness of Wife, and Tolerating Aggression). Found no significant…

Asserts that to be successful, drug prevention and intervention programs must be targeted at high-risk population groups. Proposes two-step, multilevel multivariate analysis strategy to estimate high-risk population groups in high-risk geographic areas. Contends that successful use of strategy could result in better data for decision makers to use…

Tested three alcohol use prevention curricula, one focused on teaching social pressure resistance skills, one focused on solidifying conservative group norms, and one focused on increasing student understanding of consequences of using alcohol. Results from fifth- and seventh-grade students confirmed that each program had differential effect on…

Collected data from 189 adolescents applying for outpatient drug treatment, and separately from their mothers. Results indicated that mothers' information about adolescent's drug use was neither very complete not accurate. Adolescents reported significantly more use of alcohol, but significantly less problem with alcohol use than did mothers.…

Surveyed 596 fifth through seventh graders regarding their cigarette and alcohol behaviors, attitudes, knowledge. Approximately one third of the students were experimental users of these substances. Pro-smoking and pro-drinking attitudes were directly related to use. Knowledge about smoking and drinking were inversely related to use. (JAC)

Compared non-users and users of alcohol and/or marijuana (N=1,020) in an inner city junior high school. Separate subcultures were strongly indicated with differences in attitudes, behavior, peer group, and significant adults. Almost any activity was seen as appropriate for a drug abuse prevention program. (JAC)

Surveyed 4,859 rural adolescents to examine the relationship of peer group influence and psychosocial identification with frequency of drug use. Results strongly supported the importance of peer influence and role models in predicting illegal drug use. (JAC)

Describes two recent studies sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse which focused on the cost-effectiveness of prevention. Results showed that the alternatives program (Channel One) produced increased drug use at one site, while the affective education program reduced drug use and was judged cost-effective. (JAC)

Compared smoking rates among 1,428 Canadian children in grade six in 1975 or 1978 and examined variables related to smoking. Results indicated peer smoking and attitudes toward cigarettes were significant predictors both years. Academic achievement and aspirations entered the 1975 model while smoking exposure variables entered the 1978 model. (JAC)

Examined the influence of advertising on excessive and dangerous drinking in a survey of 1,200 adolescents and young adults who were shown advertisements depicting excessive consumption themes. Results indicated that advertising stimulates consumption levels, which leads to heavy drinking and drinking in dangerous situations. (JAC)

Describes an outcome evaluation of an eight-session program of alcohol education for parents (N=54). Results showed the program increased the alcohol knowledge of participants, but influenced their attitudes toward parenting in an undesirable direction. The program may have reached parents with the least need to change. (JAC)

Reviews the usage patterns of educational materials distributed to health agencies by the Nebraska Alcohol and Drug Information Clearinghouse. Results of a telephone survey indicated only 30 percent of requestors distributed all material. About a third of the material was wasted. Suggests a rationale for improved usage of material. (JAC)

Used a cloze procedure to measure 75 female patients' level of reading of a patient package insert for an oral contraceptive. Results showed three of four patients would need assistance in comprehending the information. Age and schooling had a significant effect on the cloze test scores. (JAC)