The major objective of this prevention research project is to study the effects of contextual factors in the community and school as well as individual and family differences on prevention strategies targeted at high risk urban and rural middle school (6th-8th grade) students in a rapidly growing sunbelt community. Specifically, we propose to investigate the independent and combined effects of theoretically-based efforts at four levels including (1) community action programs, (2) school-based health promotion curriculum, (3) parenting skills in the family, and (4) individual life skills training in a split plot 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 factorial design. One study focusing on 600 youth and urban public housing projects will be initiated in 1985. A second study focusing on 600 youth at high risk for substance abuse from rural communities will begin in 1986. One-year followup studies will be conducted with 300 youth and parents from housing projects and 300 of the rural youth and parents one year after participation in family and/or individual life skills programs. Followup interviews will also be conducted with 100 youth and parent nonparticipants from urban and 100 nonparticipants from rural communities. Baseline and followup data will be collected using a theoretically-based questionnaire modeled from a National Study of Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Use (Rachal et al., 1980). The data analysis will include the statistical analysis appropriate to the experimental design. Multivariate analytic methods to assess contextural effects, event histories, and impacts of factors on odds of drinking, marijuana use, and attitudes will also be employed to develop multivariate models of prevention effects.
