PREVENTION OF SUBSTANCE USE ABUSE IN EARLY ADOLESCENTS WITH BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS/

A two-year prevention program was administered to 121 boys and girls I I through 12 years of age. Problem and no-problem children were random ly assigned to a prevention program or to a no-treatment control group . Treatment consisted of a modified version of the Life Skills Trainin g program. Results showed partial impact of the program on proximal me asures (i.e., self-esteem, influenceability, social anxiety, knowledge of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana). Problem children in the preve ntion program became more assertive. Also, children in the prevention program gained more knowledge regarding cigarettes and marijuana as co mpared to control children. As for distal measures, children who were in the prevention program developed more negative attitudes towards ci garettes and marijuana from pre-test to post-test as compared to contr ol subjects. However, no significant differences between prevention an d control children were obtained for use of cigarettes, alcohol, and m arijuana. Some links between proximal and distal variables were signif icant, albeit weak. Discussion addressed the limits of a child-centere d prevention program, especially with regard to at-risk children.