PROJECT CARE SUBSTANCE-ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR HIGH-RISK YOUTH -A LONGITUDINAL EVALUATION OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS

This article describes and evaluates Project C.A.R.E., a substance abu se prevention program for three cohorts of at risk fourth graders and their families. Project C.A.R.E. worked intensively with students and their families to increase resiliency factors and decrease risk factor s through school, family, and extracurricular activities. The research design was experimental. Project objectives were to decrease substanc e use, negative behaviors, intent to use substances, school suspension s, and absences; and to increase alternative activities, family commun ication, academic grades, and consistency of family behavior control a nd rules. A few positive program effects were found. At posttest, more control students' grades needed improvement, and more program student s participated in community activities. Several variables showed diffe rential change over time which favored the program group. Compared to control students, program students increased participation in alternat ive activities from pretest to posttest and did not increase their sch ool suspensions as much. At the one year follow-up, control students w ere more willing to use substances than were program students. The pro gram appeared to have the most impact with the third cohort of student s and with Black students. Program students with low participation gen erally had the worst outcomes, often worse than the control students. It was suggested that more research should be done examining different ial effectiveness, especially racial and program participation differe nces, as they could have a profound impact on program development and implementation. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.