title: Are substance use prevention programs more effective in schools making adequate yearly progress? A study of Project ALERT.
abstract: This exploratory study sought to determine if a popular school-based drug prevention program might be effective in schools that are making adequate yearly progress (AYP). Thirty-four schools with grades 6 through 8 in 11 states were randomly assigned either to receive Project ALERT (n = 17) or to a control group (n = 17); of these, 10 intervention and nine control schools failed to make AYP. Students completed three self-report surveys. For lifetime cigarette use and 30-day alcohol use, Project ALERT was more effective in schools that made AYP. However, in these schools, Project ALERT negatively affected students' lifetime marijuana use. This study provided some preliminary evidence that prevention programming may not work as well in poorer performing schools; however, further exploration is needed.
authors: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA. heddyclark@gmail.com
authors: Heddy Kovach
authors: HK
authors: Clark
authors: Chris L
authors: CL
authors: Ringwalt
authors: Stephen R
authors: SR
authors: Shamblen
authors: Sean M
authors: SM
authors: Hanley
authors: Robert L
authors: RL
authors: Flewelling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control; D012574:Schools; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000517:prevention & control