FEMALE DRUG ABUSE SCIENCE CURRICULUM

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DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Abstract) Attracting young people into scientific careers in drug abuse, is a goal of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 1993). The under representation of females in the scientific community underscores the need to encourage more females to pursue scientific careers (Yentsch & Sinderman, 1992), and in drug abuse research (NIDA, 1993). Based upon involvement with research projects in rural areas, and experiences with Appalachian youth, there is modest interest in scientific careers among these youth, and most frequently no knowledge of, or interest in, drug abuse research among females. The overall aim of this revised project is to develop, implement, and refine a curriculum manual -- Female Drug Abuse Science Curriculum (F-DASC) -- which targets Appalachian high school females to increase their scientific, technological, and interpersonal skills in order to facilitate their entry into drug abuse research. The specific aims for this project are: (1) To develop and implement the curriculum to increase the scientific, technological, and interpersonal skills of Appalachian high school females in the area of drug abuse research; (2) To provide female scientific mentors and community mentors to serve as role models; (3) To increase the scientific, technological, and interpersonal skills of Appalachian women in order to enhance their awareness of, interest in, and likelihood of entering scientific careers in the areas of drug abuse research; and (4) To refine the curriculum and develop a manual for replication. Fifty young women will participate in the intensive three year F-DASC experience. Scientific and community mentoring on-going throughout each year is coupled with a four week campus summer curriculum. The approach, based on the literature and the experience of the University of Kentucky Center for Science and Health Careers makes science exciting and offers rewards to maintain interest in research with increased skills to pursue careers in drug abuse research.