Adolescents (n=74) in schools, community, or hospital drug intervention programs received eight- to nine-week structured fitness activity class as part of programs. Subjects who improved in fitness tests also demonstrated significant increase in self-concept risk factor and significant decrease in anxiety and depression risk factors compared to…

Surveyed teachers' and administrators' perceived satisfaction, effectiveness, and degree of implementation of Project Pride, substance abuse prevention program. Degree of satisfaction with program content was consistently related to how beneficial and valuable teachers perceived program to be for their students. Neither perceived support of…

Describes treatment program at Charter Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, which incorporates comprehensive medical examination, fitness and nutritional screenings, and appropriate exercise activities into alcohol and other substance abuse treatment. Notes that educational sessions are offered on health fitness, risk reduction, stress management,…

Presents a model for resource allocation of state-prevention funds based on the relative need for prevention services measured in terms of composite risk-factor index scores computed for each county. Suggests that funding be based on the resource-allocation algorithms rather than the suggested amount of funding computed for each county.…

Assesses the effects of a sixth- and seventh-grade substance-abuse-prevention program in the twelfth-grade year. Questionnaires administered to students who had completed the two-year intervention and students with no intervention (N=262) showed that the effects evident in seventh grade had not been maintained through twelfth grade. (Author/MKA)

Data pertaining to the reputations, self-concepts, and coping strategies of secondary-school Volatile Solvent Users (VSUs; n=31), ex-VSUs (n=44), and non-VSUs (n=48) in Western Australia were obtained. Findings reveal that differences between the groups were more attributable to reputation enhancement than to self-concept or coping strategies.…

The Resilient Children Making Health Choices Project is an early-childhood-prevention initiative designed to promote health and social competence in young children by training their teachers in skills aimed at nurturing children's resilient development. Analysis revealed increases in teacher instructional skills and improvements in children's…

Discusses the development of an algorithm for an equitable distribution of state prevention funds to its substate jurisdiction based on the need for prevention services. Suggests that the final decision on the level of funding must be based on the selection of the schedule for resource allocation rather than the suggested amount or level of…

Examines the effects of a school and home-based drug-abuse prevention program on risk factors for subsequent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use among children. The parent-child intervention had no effect on parent or child risk factors, but the program was favorably received by parents and children. (Author/MKA)

Discusses a program funded under the Department of Justice in Maryland in which inmates (N=150) were interviewed after three months in the community to determine what environmental influences were having the greatest impact on drug reuse. Findings suggest that more emphasis is needed on family relationships before and after release because…

In this study, college students (N=178) either played Downward Spiral, a board game that illustrates the dangers of continued substance abuse, or watched educational videos on substance abuse. Results show that students who played Downward Spiral had somewhat higher levels of consumer satisfaction. However, results also show that both videos and…

Research examined Refusal Challenges, a software program that targets important social skills with effective training methods, as a way to explore drug refusal skills of eighth grade students (N=188). Results showed that a properly designed computer software program can provide an economic, efficient, and effective means of improving student…

Examines a student substance abuse training program, Enhancing Student Well-Being, for paraprofessional school personnel. Results show consistent gains n participant efficacy expectations but less consistent gains in outcome expectations and knowledge. Participant satisfaction and self-reports of knowledge enhancement and skill improvement were…

Reports on Nevada's substance abuse prevention programs for youth. The overall prevention system in the state espouses a "risk and resiliency" approach. Analysis of the programs, using a focus group methodology, yields findings about potential outcomes as well as implicit program theories. Implications for planning and further evaluation…

Faced with the absence of a conceptual framework and the terminology for establishing evaluation criteria in the substance abuse prevention services field, this special issue is devoted to exploring the topics of accountability and performance measures. It discusses the requisite components (i.e., theory, methodology, convention on terms, data)…