The aims of this research are to 1) reduce the incidence and prevalence of alcohol abuse among adolescents; 2) test the relative efficacy of social psychologically based prevention strategies which focus on social influence resistance skills training, normative education, information about consequences of use, or a combined approach; 3) test the efficacy of prevention programs which were delivered at fifth or seventh grades. A five-year continuation of a longitudinal study is proposed. During the initial eighteen months of funding (February, 1985 through August, 1986), all programs were pilot tested, and measures were developed and refined. A formal test of programs began in September, 1986. Four panels of subjects have received program. Two panels received program at fifth grade. Two additional panels received program at seventh grade. Results to date indicate that programs are having strong differential effects on mediating variables, such as skills to resist pressure and normative beliefs. Programs are having expected effects on behavioral outcomes. The proposed five-year continuation will involve the continued formal test of these three strategies as preventive treatments. Three panels of subjects will be followed through twelfth grade. The other panel will be followed through eleventh grade. Hypotheses regarding program effectiveness will be tested via analysis of covariance, with pretest alcohol use as a covariate.
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