Compared the alcohol-related attitudes and stereotypes of 677 Papua New Guinea high school youth, 315 Australian, and 166 American students. While the overwhelming majority of Australian and American students had drunk alcohol, the majority of Papua New Guinean young people had not. (JAC)

Suggests that the apparent lack of effectiveness of alcohol and drug education programs may stem from the lack of a sound theoretical basis for program development and evaluaton. Reviews (1) the relevance of socialization theory to adolescent drinking and (2) the influence of parents and peers. (JAC)

Surveyed 205 Nigerian parents to examine knowledge and acceptance of drug education programs. Results showed only 41 percent of the parents want drug education in the schools, and 83 percent thought parents should take primary responsibility. (JAC)

Surveyed 45 counselors from 29 drug treatment programs to examine how they perform their role and functions. Results indicated that superior counselors are likely to be actively involved in programming on behalf of their clients, with important differences in the issues raised in counseling sessions. (JAC)

Describes an evaluation of a self-report questionnaire administered to seventh graders (N=396). Using the test-retest reliability matrix, eight of nine drug-use indices appeared to have acceptable to good reliability. The three measures included in the test-retest reliability matrix provide stronger evidence for good reliability than could any…

Examined relationship between prioritized rankings of human values among cocaine using (N=63) and non-using (N=320) college students. Value profiles of users and non-users as measured by the Wellness Activity Profiles were significantly different for both males and females. Personal values were more important to users, while social values were…

Examined relationship between cannabis education and use in over 4,000 secondary school students. Seventh graders who reported receiving more cannabis education were more likely to also report having used cannabis. The relationship between cannabis education and cannabis use was not statistically significant for grades 9, 11, or 13, but the trend…

Assessed relationship between behavioral intention to use drugs and self-reported drug use in 9,403 seventh- through twelfth-grade students in five types of schools in Pennsylvania. Subjects completed a questionnaire assessing a variety of behaviors. Across all drugs, and within all samples, intention to use drugs was consistently related to…

Reviews 1984 Rand Corporation report recommendation that preventive education is most effective way to prevent adolescent drug abuse within the context of theories related to the causes of drug abuse integrated with the PRECEDE model of health education program planning. Concludes that many variables influencing adolescent drug use are not within…

Analyzed data on 148 convicted intoxicated drivers to determine whether characteristics of intoxicated drivers influence likelihood that other people would attempt to dissuade them from driving. Results indicated that women, older people, fearful or anxious people, and people seriously impaired by alcohol were more likely than others to have…

Examines assumptions underlying alcohol education programs and program impact from inferential and deductive logic perspectives. Combines review of existing empirical evidence concerning effectiveness of alcohol education with the outcome of a deductive-logical analysis, resulting in a series of explicit, realistic, recommendations for effective…

Survey of 64 popular men's magazines and 47 women's magazines revealed that almost seven times as many over-the-counter drug advertisements were found in the latter than in the former. Most advertisements directed toward women concerned appearance; most directed toward men were for stimulants. Suggests enhanced regulatory efforts against…

Surveyed 2,926 seventh, ninth, and eleventh graders on smokeless tobacco and other substance use. Examined patterns smokeless tobacco use relative to other drug use, particularly cigarette smoking. Data supported view that recent increases in smokeless tobacco use were related to male tobacco users' belief that smokeless tobacco was less harmful…

Reviews epidemiological studies of adolescent cocaine use. Attributes increased cocaine use among adolescents to lower prices and availability of crack. Identifies risk factors for initial cocaine use as male gender, use of marijuana, lack of social connections to family and school, peer influences, and psychopathology. Suggests targeting…

Examined health-related behaviors in 25 young adult cocaine users and 25 matched nonusers. Found cocaine users consumed more coffee and alcohol, and fewer balanced meals, than did nonusers. Users reported less relaxation and daily organization than did nonusers. Suggests that cocaine use is embedded in complex of interrelated unhealthy behaviors;…