title: Effects of the Communities That Care model in Pennsylvania on change in adolescent risk and problem behaviors.
abstract: Despite the public health burden of adolescent substance use, delinquency, and other problem behavior, few comprehensive models of disseminating evidence-based prevention programs to communities have demonstrated positive youth outcomes at a population level, capacity to maintain program fidelity, and sustainability. We examined whether the Communities That Care (CTC; Hawkins and Catalano 1992) model had a positive impact on risk/protective factors and academic and behavioral outcomes among adolescents in a quasi-experimental effectiveness study. We conducted a longitudinal study of CTC in Pennsylvania utilizing biannual surveillance data collected through anonymous in-school student surveys. We utilized multilevel models to examine CTC impact on change in risk/protective factors, grades, delinquency, and substance use over time. Youth in CTC communities demonstrated less growth in delinquency, but not substance use, than youth in non-CTC communities. Levels of risk factors increased more slowly, and protective factors and academic performance decreased more slowly, among CTC community grade-cohorts that were exposed to evidence-based, universal prevention programs than comparison grade cohorts. Community coalitions can affect adolescent risk and protective behaviors at a population level when evidence-based programs are utilized. CTC represents an effective model for disseminating such programs.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, S-109 Henderson Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA. Mef11@psu.edu
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Feinberg
authors.forename: Damon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: D Wayne
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Osgood
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bontempo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010414:Pennsylvania; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012940:Social Problems / Q000517:prevention & control*