Ka. Komro et al., PEER PARTICIPATION IN PROJECT NORTHLAND - A COMMUNITY-WIDE ALCOHOL-USE PREVENTION PROJECT, Journal of school health, 64(8), 1994, pp. 318-322
This paper describes the rationale, conceptual framework, and program
components of a peer participation program for prevention of alcohol u
se among young adolescents. The peer participation program was one com
ponent of Project Northland, a community-wide program that seeks to pr
event or delay onset of alcohol use among a cohort of young adolescent
s. The peer participation program, implemented in 20 northeastern Minn
esota schools when students were in seventh grade, consisted of studen
t groups who planned supervised, alcohol-free activities for themselve
s and their classmates. Program goals included 1) providing peer leade
rship and social support for non-use of alcohol, 2) creating opportuni
ties for alternative behaviors to alcohol use, thereby 3) creating a n
orm of non-use among young adolescents.