PREVENTION EFFECTS OF THE CHILD-DEVELOPMENT PROJECT - EARLY FINDINGS FROM AN ONGOING MULTISITE DEMONSTRATION TRIAL

The Child Development Project is a comprehensive school program to red uce risk and bolster protective factors among children. It includes cl assroom school, and family involvement elements that collectively, hel p schools become caring communities of learners-environments that are characterized by supportive social relationships, a sense of common pu rpose, and a commitment to prosocial values; that are responsive to ch ildren's developmental and sociocultural needs; and that foster their resilience when confronted with stressful events and circumstances. Th e program was implemented in elementary schools from sir school distri cts around the United States. Similar schools from these same district s served as a comparison group. Analyses of data on problem behaviors over a 3-year period indicated that the program was associated with si gnificant reductions in student drug use and delinquency. Effects were strongest for students in the subset of schools that had made the gre atest degree of progress in program implementation.