This Phase I SBIR application requests 6-months of support for developing and testing CD-ROM materials for a state-of-the-art drug abuse prevention program called LifeSkills Training (LST). LST is a school-based drug abuse prevention program targeting students in both elementary school and in middle and/or junior high school. The proposed CD-ROM will be based on the original LST model and will consist of interactive video material designed to teach drug resistance skills, normative education, and general life skills to elementary school students. The resulting CD-ROM materials will facilitate the adoption and utilization of a proven drug abuse prevention program in a flexible and engaging format. This project offers the potential for extending the reach of the already proven LST prevention approach to elementary school students in a school and/or home setting. In order to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of the prevention intervention technologies developed during this Phase I project, the prototype versions of the these methods and materials will be subjected to two extensive focus group tests composed of elementary school students and adults including a mixture of teachers, parents and prevention experts. The overall Purpose of the focus groups will be to ascertain the extent these individuals view the CD-ROM as credible, effective, and easy to use.
