NCJ Number
205534
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: 2004 Pages: 17-51
Date Published
2004
Length
35 pages
Annotation
This paper outlines the evaluation plan for the Minnesota D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Plus Project, a drug-prevention and violence-prevention program for junior high school students; and it also presents the results of psychometric analyses on the mediating and outcome measure that will be used in the assessment of the intervention program.
Abstract
The intervention strategies were designed to achieve changes in the social, environmental, and intrapersonal factors believed linked to substance abuse. In order to evaluate the program's effectiveness, it is essential to have reliable and valid measures of these constructs. The survey instrument was tested by using different samples at each stage of development. This involved a focus group sample, a pilot and test-retest sample, a scale development sample, and a predictive validity sample. A final version of the survey was constructed and reviewed by the investigative team. Final revisions were made, and this version of the survey was used as the baseline survey in 24 middle and junior high schools across Minnesota. These data were used in a final evaluation of the instrument; psychometric analyses were performed, and scales were developed and tested by using this dataset. The results of the psychometric analyses indicate that the scales constructed are reliable and valid measures of young adolescents' drug use and violent behaviors, as well as the intrapersonal, social, and environmental factors related to those behaviors. The scales developed in this evaluation may be useful to others in the field as they develop interventions whose effectiveness is to be evaluated. 4 tables, 1 figure, and 62 references