This proposal seeks to extend through late adolescence and early adulthood an examination of normal and pathogenic development and the impact of two, universal, first grade, preventive interventions on the distal targets of substance abuse, antisocial behavior and anxious and depressive symptoms and disorders. We will build on the scientific value of an existing, prospective, developmental epidemiological data base, involving a defined population of urban, predominately African-American school children, whose psychological well-being (PWB) and social adaptational status (SAS) have been assessed periodically from 1993 through 2003, grades 1-10 (or ages 6-15). Funds are available from NIMH through the Spring of 2008, or approximately age 20, for annual assessments of youth mental health and educational/occupational outcomes and the moderators and mediators of those outcomes. We are requesting funds from NIDA to expand those assessments to include measures of substance use, abuse, dependence and the moderators and mediators of each of these, along with drug treatment services utilization and the factors associated with unmet drug treatment need. The study population consists of the entire cohort of children (N = 678) who begin first grade in the fall of 1993 in 9 elementary schools in predominantly low to lower middle-income areas in Baltimore. Within each of the 9 schools, children and their teachers were randomly assigned to either a standard setting classroom or to a classroom featuring one of two, universal preventive interventions. Each intervention specifically targeted two confirmed antecedents of later substance use, antisocial behavior, and anxiety and depression: 1) aggressive and shy behaviors, and 2) poor school achievement. The Classroom-Centered intervention (CC) sought to reduce the early risk behaviors of poor achievement and aggressive and shy behaviors through the enhancement of classroom curricula and teacher instructional and behavior management practices, whereas the Family-School Partnership intervention (FSP) focused on parent discipline practices and parent-school communication. Follow-up through age 20 will enable us to assess variation in developmental and intervention outcomes as a function of the initial and evolving characteristics of the youth, family, peer group, school, and neighborhood/community from entrance to first grade to early adulthood.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 46 publications
