This research will evaluate the impact of substance abuse treatment and social environment on adolescent substance use, delinquency, violence, and criminal justice involvement. The research will be conducted as a longitudinal, secondary analysis of 600 adolescents in a large, randomized experiment of five outpatient drug treatments in four US sites with high follow-up and transportability: the Cannabis Youth Treatment (CYT) experiment. Data was collected at treatment intake and at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months post-intake. Data collection was continued by the Persistent Effects of Treatment for Adolescents (PETSA) study through 30-months post-intake. Both studies used a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment, the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) that investigates the adolescent's background, substance use, physical and mental health, risk behaviors, environment, and vocational and legal/criminal involvement. Parent report and urine test results will also be used to triangulate data. Theory, method, and analysis training along with research experience will prepare the researcher to become a productive scientist in the field of adolescent substance abuse treatment.
