Cultural differences in adolescent drug abuse

This chapter describes the epidemiology of drug use among adolescents from different racial and ethnic groups. Second, it addresses the cultural variables prevalent in each of these groups and their relevance in the delivery of clinical care. Third, it describes the risks and protective factors for adolescent drug use and their interface with culture and the screening tools available for the pediatrician. Finally, we present the treatment and model programs of prevention that were tested specifically with ethnic groups ranked by the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs.     

Student attitudinal inventory for outcome evaluation of adolescent drug abuse prevention programs

This study introduces an evaluation instrument entitled the High-Risk Student Attitudinal Inventory. It can be used for outcome evaluation in assessing the effectiveness of various primary prevention programs aimed at deterring adolescent drug abuse. This instrument has seven attitudinal syndromes that are theoretically based and are empirically related to student drug involvement. Each attitudinal syndrome is composed of ten Likert-type scale items. The mean Cronbach Alpha coefficient of reliability pertaining to the scales is .83. Criterion-related validity of the scales is established through a known-group method. The groups identified are the current drug users and non-drug users.Sehwan Kim is a program evaluator/senior researcher at the Charlotte Drug Education Center. Reprint requests should be sent to the author at 1416 East Morehead St., Charlotte, NC 28204. A version of this paper was presented at the 30th Annual Meeting of the Alcohol and Drug Problem Association of North America, Washington, D.C., August 26–30, 1979. The preparation of this document was supported by a grant #1E07DA 01562 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Special gratitude must go to Dr. Stephen Newman, Ms. Rita Arundell, and Dr. Jonnie McLeod whose active participation and helpful ideas in developing the Student Attitudinal Inventory made this study possible.     

Translation in tobacco and drug abuse prevention research

The purpose of this article is to describe the translation of research on tobacco and drug abuse prevention from basic science to program development to large-scale program dissemination, and from animal to human studies. Where relevant, continuity of translation is discussed by referring to two variables that have been studied for their potential relationship to drug use risk in both animals and humans: sensation and novelty seeking and low impulse control. Review of the research indicates relatively slow translation until the early 1990s. The authors recommend several mechanisms to promote more rapid translation across types of research that encourage reciprocal rather than unidirectional transmission of knowledge to expedite the development and diffusion of more timely, targeted drug abuse prevention programs.     

The prevention of adolescent drug abuse: Implications from etiological,developmental, behavioral,and environmental models

This article reviews the contributions of varying theoretical models for the development of more effective drug abuse prevention programs. Etiological research is emphasized because of its direct application to prevention interventions. This research includes etiological work on stages of development, socialization and selection, self-esteem, antisocial behavior, distribution of consumption, problem behavior, domain theory, and learning theory. Developmental, behavioral, and environmental models refine the actual intervention development. Implications from this research for further, necessary etiological work for improving prevention programs are proposed.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Research, Analysis and Utilization System meeting on Etiology of Drug Abuse: Implications for Prevention, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, April 24–25, 1984. This work was supported in part by grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (RO1-DA-03205 and RO1-DA-03044).Dr. Cheryl L. Perry is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota. She teaches courses on public health approaches to behavior change and drug abuse prevention. She directs several research projects in youth health promotion and is particularly involved in community-wide intervention development around smoking, drug use, and nutrition for children and adolescents.Dr. David M. Murray is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota. He teaches courses on the evaluation of community-based health promotion programs and drug abuse prevention. He directs three federally-funded research studies on adolescent smoking and drug abuse prevention, and is involved in the design and implementation of evaluation strategies for community-wide programs.     

Risk factors and prevention in adolescent substance abuse: a biopsychosocial approach

This article provides an overview of existing evidence regarding risk and prevention factors in adolescent substance abuse from a biopsychosocial viewpoint. It is believed that this approach offers a practical model for the integration of inherently complex factors into the clinical setting. These factors cannot be isolated from the influences of the greater society, such as the school system or homelessness. Prevention and treatment issues must approach the impaired adolescent with a multifactorial and comprehensive plan that integrates multidisciplinary involvement.     

Brief SAY IT STRAIGHT training and follow-up in adolescent substance abuse prevention

A shorter version of SAY IT STRAIGHT (SIS) training was investigated during the 1983–84 school year with 1055 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Training was delivered in 7- and 5-day models which were compared with the 10-day model used in 1982–83 with 509 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Both shorter training models yielded significant changes toward more assertive/leveling attitudes (p<.01). Comparisons of 10, 7 and 5 day training models yielded no significant differences in such attitude changes as a function of training length. Alcohol/drug related school suspensions were not found in 1983–84 among 5th graders whether or not they were trained. However, such suspensions were significantly lower among the 1564 6th–9th graders who had received training either in the 1982–83 or the 1983–84 school year compared to the 1295 6th–9th graders who were not trained (p<.05).Paula Englander-Golden, Ph.D. is at the Department of Human Relations at the University of Oklahoma, 601 Elm, Room 730, Norman, OK 73019.This research was supported in part by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health, Contract #N200073.Dr. A.B. Schwarzkopf, University of Oklahoma, Statistical Consulting Laboratory, provided statistical analysis of experimental data.The authors thank Antoinette Bradley, Claire Germond, Lisa Hammond Denwalt, Julie Hunt, Tom Lancaster and Roxanne Moore for their help in the training of the youngsters.     

Environmental strategies for primary drug abuse prevention programs

Recent funding and philosophical trends in the drug abuse field suggest the advisability of establishing locally-funded primary prevention programs as an adjunct to law enforcement and treatment efforts. Since no service agency exists in a vacuum, it becomes imperative for the administrators of such organizations to understand the environment with which they must coexist. This paper explores some of the significant interactions and problems between drug prevention agencies and those local community and political forces on whom it depends for resources like funding, clients and legitimacy. Strategies to overcome some anticipated obstacles are presented.     

Inhalant abuse as an adolescent drug problem: An overview

The inhalation of the vapors of chemical substances for the purpose of achieving an intoxicated state is currently quite popular within the adolescent population. However, this form of substance abuse often receives less attention than more well-known drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol. This paper is intended to be an introduction to the topic of inhalant abuse, including prevalence rates, the types of substances typically abused, their effects on the body, methods of inhalation, symptoms associated with this practice, the risks involved, and finally, the question of physical and psychological addiction.     

Toward a systems-ecological approach to the prevention of adolescent alcohol abuse

Findings from a questionnaire survey of adolescent drinkers are discussed in terms of developmental trends in alcohol and drug use, prevalence of drinking problems and the psychosocial correlates of problem drinking. Canonical correlation procedures are used to illustrate how multivariate statistical analysis can serve as a rational guide to the derivation of prevention goals and the formulation of prevention strategies. The basic elements of a systems-ecological approach are then presented as a conceptual basis for prevention strategies designed to meet these goals.This research was supported in part by Research Scientist Development Grants 5 K01 AA 00025-02 and 1K01AA00050-01 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. A shorter version of this paper was presented at the 25th International Institute on the Prevention and Treatment of Alcoholism, Tours, France, 19 June 1979. Requests for reprints may be addressed to the authors at the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center, McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02178.     

Pilot study of smoking, alcohol and drug abuse prevention.

A longitudinal pilot study gathered data on the onset and prevention of smoking, alcohol, and drug abuse among 526 students from two junior-high-schools in California. Over two school years, students who were trained to resist social pressures toward tobacco, alcohol, and drug use began smoking at less than one-half the rate of those who did not receive special training. Frequent alcohol and marijuana use was also less prevalent among the students who received such training.     

Extracurricular activities and drug abuse prevention: a controversial issue]

Data obtained from 16,117 high school students in fifteen Brazilian cities, relating to participation in a number of extracurricular activities and consumption of drugs and alcohol, are described. In the great majority of cases, no association was found between participation in artistic, community or sports-related activities and the use of these substances. On the other hand, a weak but constant negative correlation was found between alcohol/drug consumption and involvement in religious activities. The authors discuss these findings in the light of some of the current preconceptions prevailing in Brazilian society: namely, that such activities constitute effective strategies for drug use prevention; and that "idle" young persons tend to be potential drug users. They also discuss the implications of the fact among students involved in religious activities drug and alcohol consumption has been shown to be slightly lower.     

Secondary prevention: an approach to improve the German drug abuse prevention system

Drug prevention in Germany traditionally focuses on primary prevention programmes for children without any drug experience. Only a few programmes have been specifically developed for drug-taking youth, although especially children and adolescents at high risk for drug problems need intervention services which provide helpful support to reduce drug misuse. Empirical studies in two German cities show that prevention services are not available for the high-risk population of drug-taking youth. On an international level several projects are testing out new approaches for drug use prevention for at-risk youth. The primary goal of such secondary prevention programmes is to reduce the incidence and prevalence of drug use and abuse through early detection and intervention strategies. These programmes aim at preventing adolescents who are experimenting with drugs from progressing to misuse or addiction. Testing new prevention strategies to support drug-taking youth in Germany is likely to produce a valuable contribution to our knowledge of effective drug prevention.     

Methodological challenges in designing efficacious drug abuse and HIV preventive interventions for hispanic adolescent subgroups

This article focuses on designing and evaluating drug abuse and HIV prevention interventions for subgroups of Hispanic adolescents. It describes the need for preventive interventions designed or adapted specifically for Hispanic adolescents and offers a rationale for subgrouping Hispanic adolescents based on risk and protective factor profiles rather than demographic indices. This subgrouping method is based on intrapersonal and ecodevelopmental domains of risk and protection. Finally, the article presents methods for designing, adapting, and evaluating “flexible” interventions for use with Hispanic adolescent subgroups.