Project AIM: Preventing Illicit Substance Use Among Middle School Children

描述(申请人提供)：青少年中的非法药物使用仍然是一个严重的公共卫生问题，特别是大量使用酒精和毒品的中学和低年级的青少年。此外，尽管高中生的物质使用量似乎在下降，但在中学生中却没有明显的下降。以学校为基础的预防方案是青少年最广泛使用的预防方法，这种方案可以有效地推迟开始和减少药物使用的频率。但在我们这个对学业成绩负责的时代，这样的项目更难实施。显然有必要继续发展以学校为基础的简短方案，在提高学业成绩和促进积极发展的同时解决药物使用和其他问题行为。这项拟议的研究的总体目标是测试一项以中学为基础的预防计划的创新、理论驱动的适应，项目AIM(成人身份指导)，该计划展示了防止或推迟早期开始使用药物、减少其他问题行为、提高学业成就以及识别和追求生活目标的教学技能的希望。我们提出了一项前瞻性的非随机准实验对照小组研究，研究了AIM课程在四所中学的有效性，这些中学的学生中有高比例的学生存在药物使用风险、相关的行为问题和学习困难。每所学校的六年级学生将要么接受AIM课程，作为他们为期一年的健康课程的一部分，要么只接受标准的健康课程。这项申请与PA-06-317，药物滥用预防干预研究：R21是一致的，因为它提出了一个基于理论的、发展知情的研究计划，将关于社会认知和个人差异的当前知识应用于预防药物使用和其他有问题的行为结果。与公共卫生相关：显然有必要继续制定简短的以学校为基础的预防方案，在提高学业成绩和促进积极发展的同时，解决物质使用和其他问题行为。这项拟议的研究将测试一项创新的、以理论为导向的中学预防计划，项目AIM(成人身份辅导)，该计划展示了预防或推迟早期开始使用药物、减少其他问题行为以及教授识别和追求生活目标的技能的希望。这项申请与PA-06-317药物滥用预防干预研究(R21)的目标一致，因为它提出了一个基于理论的、发展知情的研究计划，将关于社会认知和个人差异的当前知识应用于预防药物使用和其他有问题的行为结果。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Illicit substance use among youth continues to be a serious public health concern, particularly the vast numbers of youth in middle school and lower grades who use alcohol and drugs. Also, whereas substance use appears to be declining among high school students, no such decline is evident among middle schoolers. School-based prevention programs are the most widely used prevention method for adolescents, and such programs can be effective in delaying initiation and reducing frequency of substance use. But such programs are more difficult to implement in our era of accountability for academic achievement. There is a clear need for continued development of brief school-based programs that address substance use and other problem behaviors while enhancing academic achievement and promoting positive development. The overall aim of the proposed research is to test an innovative, theory-driven adaptation of a middle-school-based prevention program, Project AIM (Adult Identity Mentoring), that shows promise for preventing or delaying early initiation of substance use, curtailing other problem behaviors, enhancing academic achievement, and teaching skills for identifying and pursuing life goals. We propose a prospective nonrandomized quasi-experimental comparison group study of the efficacy of the AIM curriculum within four middle schools with high percentages of students who are at risk for substance use, related behavioral problems, and academic difficulties. Cohorts of sixth graders at each school will either receive the AIM curriculum as part of their year-long Health course or will receive the standard Health course alone. This application is consistent with PA-06-317, Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research: R21, in that it proposes a theory-based, developmentally informed program of research that applies current knowledge regarding social cognition and individual differences to the prevention of substance use and other problematic behavioral outcomes. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: There is a clear need for continued development of brief school-based prevention programs that address substance use and other problem behaviors while enhancing academic achievement and promoting positive development. The proposed research will test an innovative, theory- driven middle-school-based prevention program, Project AIM (Adult Identity Mentoring), that shows promise for preventing or delaying early initiation of substance use, curtailing other problem behaviors, and teaching skills for identifying and pursuing life goals. This application is consistent with the goals of PA-06-317, Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R21), in that it proposes a theory-based, developmentally informed program of research that applies current knowledge regarding social cognition and individual differences to the prevention of substance use and other problematic behavioral outcomes.