NCJ Number
126393
Date Published
1991
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Over 100 junior high schools students, chosen from schools in a large Southwest metropolitan area, participated in 8 peer support retreats designed for adolescents experimenting with drugs, beginning to exhibit a pattern of substance abuse, or with peer group or family members who are substance abusers. The 12-month demonstration project described in this report tested 3 hypotheses: that youth can decrease substance use through training in coping skills related to peer, parental, and societal pressure; that youth will openly explore their thoughts and feeling in the retreat environment; and that youth participation in the retreat programs will have a direct impact on behaviors associated with substance use including dropping out of school and delinquency.
Abstract
Both participants and staff had a high proportion of Hispanics; the staff included several interns in the final stages of treatment for substance abuse. The instruments used in the program evaluation included an attitude survey, retreat pre- and post-test, follow-up survey, parent survey, and staff evaluation. The retreat initiated activities encouraging the youth to get to know themselves including workshops, discussions, and role plays focusing on communication skills, problem solving, decision making, refusal skills, and drug information. Toward the end of the retreat, participants were urged to make a chemical-free commitment, signed and witnessed by two peers. A follow-up counseling session was held two weeks after completion of the retreat. Analysis of the attitude surveys revealed a negative change score on the family component and overall evaluation, while positive change scores were recorded in relation to drug and culture components. However, the general comments on the retreat post-test were very favorable on the part of participants, staff, parents, and school personnel. Positive changes in self-esteem and level of self-reported substance abuse from the 6-month follow up survey demonstrated some long-term accomplishments of the retreat. Teachers reported better attendance, more regularity in completing assignments, more participation in class and extracurricular activities, and better peer interaction at the end of six months. The project will continue with 6-month evaluations over the next two years in order to provide a more long-term assessment of the program's effectiveness. 4 tables and 10 references