Preliminary Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Standardized Student Assistance Program

• NCJ Number: 178989
• Journal: Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 34 Issue: 11 Dated: 1999 Pages: 1571-1584
• Author(s): Eric F. Wagner Ph.D; Sarah C. Dinklage M.S.W; Charles Cudworth M.A.; Judith Vyse M.S.W
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 14 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01-AA10246
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

This article examines the effectiveness of Student Assistance Program group counseling.

Abstract

One hundred and forty-four substance using high school seniors completed a questionnaire in 1995 concerning their substance use before and after counseling, their experience in counseling, and the impact of counseling on their substance use. Participants reported significant decreases in substance use, which they attributed to counseling. Most participants liked counseling, and higher frequency drinkers did not differ from lower frequency drinkers in liking counseling and reporting decreased substance use. Future studies of Student Assistance Programs should include: (1) comparison groups of students who did not receive or received a different type of intervention; (2) repeated and comprehensive follow-up assessments of program participants; and (3) additional, non-self-report outcome measures. Tables, appendix, references