Use of individual-level and interpersonal variables to predict youth at risk for alcohol, tobacco and marijuana (ATM) use

This presentation reports the long-term effects of a school-based alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention program on student intentions to use alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana (ATM) in high school as well as their actual use of these substances. A program called Prevention through Alternative Learning Styles (PALS) was implemented with students from several middle-schools in the greater Dayton, Ohio, area with the goals of enhancing students' knowledge of the harmful effects of ATM and decreasing students' intentions to use ATM in the future. Students completed Pre, Post and follow-up surveys (one year after completion of the PALS Program). All three surveys measured knowledge of ATM, peer pressure, and learning style/disability issues that could potentially impact initiation of substance use. A representative comparison group of students was selected that completed all of the surveys but did not receive the PALS intervention; these students did receive the health/wellness intervention traditionally offered at their school. Changes in student response patterns across the three time intervals (Pre to Post, Pre to follow-up, Post to follow-up) will be compared between these two groups to measure program effectiveness. Exploratory analyses will be conducted using a number of interpersonal and individual-level variables to develop profiles that identify youth at the highest risk of using, and/or intending to use, ATM.