Scheduled for Health Posters, Friday, April 2, 2004, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall Poster Session


A Comparison of Two Approaches to Substance Abuse Prevention Programming: Results of Project ADAPT

Lori J. Bechtel1, Judith R. Vicary2, Ed Smith2, John D. Swisher2, Abby Hopkins2 and Elvira Elek2, (1)The Pennsylvania State University, Altoona, PA, (2)The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Prevention provides an opportunity for students to develop psychosocial competencies that can help resist or delay the initiation of substance use. There is a need to determine whether psychosocial approaches are effective. This investigation utilized data from Project ADAPT, funded by NIDA. The investigation utilized a prospective, group-randomized design in nine rural school districts in Pennsylvania. Middle schools were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: standard Life Skills Training (LST) (Botvin, Baker, Dusenbury, Botvin & Diaz, 1995), infused LST (I-LST), or comparison condition. The analyses examine questionnaire data from 297 students in the LST condition (68%), 234 students in the I-LST condition (71%), and 201 students in the comparison condition (72%). Questionnaires were administered at the beginning of 7th grade and the end of 7th, 8th and 9th grades. Data were addressed with a fixed effects analysis of covariance regression model with maximum likelihood estimation procedures. Path models specified using Mplus (Muthen & Muthen, 1998) represented: a) the main effects of LST and I-LST on 9th grade substance use controlling for baseline substance use, SES, and problem behaviors, b) the main effect of LST and I-LST on 7th - 9th grade skills controlling for baseline skills, SES, and problem behaviors, and c) the main effect of LST and I-LST on 7th - 9th grade ATOD norms, attitudes, and knowledge controlling for baseline norms, attitudes, knowledge; SES; and problem behaviors. Analyses on the 7th and 8th grade data demonstrated significant beneficial effects of both the LST and I-LST programs on binge drinking and marijuana use for girls at the end of 7th grade, and of the LST program on drunkenness for girls at the end of 7th grade. The I-LST program demonstrated a significant effect on girls' coping with anxiety skills at the end of 8th grade. The LST program significantly influenced girls' coping with anxiety skills at all grade levels, communication skills at the end of 7th and 9th grades, decision making skills at the end of 7th grade, and assertiveness skills at the end of 8th grade. Girls in the LST and I-LST programs reported significantly lower normative beliefs and attitudes supporting ATOD use at the end of 7th and 8th grades, respectively, and significantly greater knowledge about ATOD at the end of 7th grade and 7th and 9th grades, respectively. Issues of implementation fidelity will be discussed and recommendations for future programming and teacher training will be presented.


Keyword(s): health promotion, middle school issues, wellness/disease prevention

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