LONG-TERM EVALUATION OF DRUG-ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION

Project DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is the most prevalent s chool-based drug-use prevention program in the United States, but ther e is little evidence of its effectiveness. Results from a longitudinal evaluation of the program in 36 schools in Illinois provide only limi ted support for DARE's impact on student's drug use immediately follow ing the intervention, and no support for either continued or emerging impact on drug use 1 or 2 years after receiving DARE instruction. In a ddition, DARE had only limited positive effects on psychological varia bles (i.e., self-esteem) and no effect on social variables (e.g., peer resistance skills). Possible substantive and methodological explanati ons for the relative lack of DARE's effectiveness observed in this stu dy are discussed.