A review of substance abuse prevention interventions for young adolescent girls

Consideration of the role of gender in alcohol tobacco, and drug use,for th e most part has been omitted from studies of intervention effectiveness. Co nsequently, although scientists now can state with confidence that effectiv e prevention approaches exist, it is not clear whether those programs are e ffective specifically for girls. Consequently although great strides have b een made in identifying substance use patterns, precursors to use and effec tive prevention strategies ill general, many questions remain about the way s in which those prevention efforts might address better the need; of diffe ring gender and racial/ethnic groups. The primary goal for this report was first to review evidence of the effectiveness of traditional alcohol tobacc o, and drug use prevention approaches with girls and with bays, as well as available evidence from gender-specific or gender informed interventions fo cused specifically an girls, and second, to make recommendations regarding needed research and prevention strategies that rake gender into account.