Abstract
Project Northland is designed to prevent alcohol use among young adolescents. The project is ongoing in 24 school districts, randomly assigned to intervention or reference conditions. Multiple interventions begin with sixth graders and continue through eighth grade. The reference districts offer their standard health curricula. Evaluation consists of school surveys with the cohort (N = 2201) and telephone surveys of half their parents. This article describes the sixth-grade home-based intervention, the Slick Tracy Home Team. Findings of broad-based participation across sex, race, and risk status were documented, as well as some increases in knowledge and family communication about alcohol use.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Botvin, G. J. (1986). Substance abuse prevention research: Recent developments and future directions.Journal of School Health, 56, 369–374.
Botvin, G. J., Schinke, S. P., & Orlandi, M. S. (1989). Psychosocial approaches to substance abuse prevention: Theoretical foundations and empirical findings.Crisis: International Journal of Suicide and Crisis Studies, 10, 62–77.
Butcher, J. N., Williams, C. L., Graham, J. R., Tellegen, A., Ben-Porath, Y. S., Archer, R. P., & Kaemmer, B. (1992).Manual for the administration, scoring and interpretation of the adolescent version of the MMPI. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Clayton, R. R., Cattarello, A., Day, L. E., & Walden, K. P. (1991). Persuasive communication and drug prevention: An evaluation of the DARE program. In L. Donohew, H. E. Sypher, & W. J. Bukoski (Eds.),Persuasive communication and drug abuse prevention, Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers.
Coleman, J. (1881).Juvenile temperance manual. New York: National Temperance Society and Publication House.
DeJong, W. (1987). A short-term evaluation of Project DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education): Preliminary indications of effectiveness.Journal of Drug Education, 17, 279–294.
Dryfoos, J. G. (1990).Adolescents at risk: Prevalence and prevention. New York: Oxford University Press.
Dupont, R. L. (1985). Substance abuse.Journal of the American Medical Association, 254, 2335–2337.
Falck, R., & Craig, R. (1988). Classroom-oriented, primary prevention programming for drug abuse.Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 20, 403–408.
Goodstadt, M. S. (1987). Prevention strategies for drug abuse.Issues in Science and Technology, 28–35.
Griffin, T. (1986). Community-based chemical use problem prevention.Journal of School Health, 56, 414–417.
Hansen, W. B., Johnson, C. A., Flay, B. R., Phil, D., Graham, J. W., & Sobel, J. (1988). Affective and social influences approaches to the prevention of multiple substance abuse among seventh grade students: Results from Project SMART.Preventive Medicine, 17, 135–154.
Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., & Bachman, J. G. (1985).Use of licit and illicit drugs by America's high school students 1975–1984. (USDHHS Publication No. 85-1394). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., & Bachman, J. G. (1987).National trends in drug use and related factors among American high school students and young adults, 1975–1986. (DHHS Publication No. 87-153). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., & Bachman, J. G. (1989). Drug use, drinking, and smoking:National survey results from high school college, and young adults populations 1975–1988. Rockville, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., & Bachman, J. G. (1990). [Press release of the 1989 National high school senior survey.] Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research.
Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., & Bachman, J. G. (1991).Drug use among American high school seniors, college students and young adults, 1975–1990 (Vol. II: College students and young adults). Rockville, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., & Bachman, J. G. (1993).National survey results on drug use from the Monitoring the Future study, 1975–1992 (Vol. I: Secondary school students). Rockville, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Kandel, D. B. (1975). Stages in adolescent involvement in drug use.Science, 190, 912–914.
Klepp, K-I, Halper, A., & Perry, C. L. (1986). The efficacy of peer leaders in drug abuse prevention.Journal of School Health, 56, 407–411.
Murray, D. M., & Hannan, P. J. (1990). Planning for the appropriate analysis in school-based drug-use prevention studies.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 458–468.
Murray, D. M., & Wolfinger, A. D. (1994). Analysis issues in the evaluation of community trials: Progress toward solutions in SAS/STAT MIXED.Journal of Community Psychology, CSAP Special Issue, 140–154.
Nader, P. R., Sallis, J. F., Patterson, T. L., Abramson, I. S., Rupp, J. W., Senn, K. L., Atkins, C. J., Roppe, B. E., Morris, J. A., Wallace, J. P., & Vega, W. A. (1989). A family approach to cardiovascular risk reduction: Results from the San Diego Family Health Project (Reaching Families throughout the Schools).Health Education Quarterly, 16(2), 229–244.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (1991). County alcohol problem indicators, 1979–1985.US Alcohol Epidemiologic Data Reference Manual. Rockville, MD: NIAAA.
Parcel, G., Perry, C. L., & Taylor, W. (1990). Beyond demonstrations: Diffusion of innovations. In N. Bracht (Ed.),Organizing for community health promotion: A handbook. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
Pentz, M. A., Dwyer, J. H., MacKinnon, D. P., Flay, B. R., Hansen, W. B., Wang, E. Y., & Johnson, C. A. (1989). A multi-community trial for primary prevention of adolescent drug abuse.Journal of the American Medical Association, 261, 3259–3266.
Perry, C. L., & Grant, M. (1988). Comparing peer-led to teacher-led youth alcohol education in four countries.Alcohol, Health, and Research World, 12, 322–326.
Perry, C. L., Grant, M., Ernberg, G., Florenzano, R. U., Langdon, M. C., Myeni, A. D., Waahlberg, R., Berg, S., Andersson, K., Fisher, K. J., Blaze-Temple, D., Cross, D., Saunders, B., Jacobs, D. R., & Schmid, T. (1989). WHO collaborative study on alcohol education and young people: Outcomes of a four-country pilot study.The International Journal of the Addictions, 24, 1145–1171.
Perry, C. L., & Jessor, R. (1985). The concept of health promotion and the prevention of adolescent drug abuse.Health Education Quarterly, 12, 169–184.
Perry, C. L., Klepp, K-I, & Sillers, C. (1989). Community-wide strategies for cardiovascular health: The Minnesota Heart Health Program Youth Program.Health Education Research, 4, 87–101.
Perry, C. L., Luepker, R. V., Murray, D. M., Hearn, M. D., Halper, A., Dudovitz, B., Maile, M. C., & Smyth, M. (1989). Parent involvement with children's health promotion: A one-year follow-up of the Minnesota Home Team.Health Education Quarterly, 16(2), 171–180.
Perry, C. L., Luepker, R. V., Murray, D. M., Kurth, C., Mullis, R., Crockett, S., & Jacobs, D. J., (1988). Parent involvement with children's health promotion: The Minnesota Home Team.American Journal of Public Health, 78(9), 1156–1160.
Perry, C. L., & Murray, D. M. (1985). Preventing adolescent drug abuse: Implications from etiological, developmental, behavioral, and environmental models.Journal of Primary Prevention, 6, 31–52.
Perry, C. L., Williams, C. L., Forster, J. L., Wolfson, M., Wagenaar, A. C., Finnegan, J. R., McGovern, P. G., Veblen-Mortenson, S., Komro, K. A., & Anstine, P. S. (1993). Background, conceptualization and design of a community-wide research program on adolescent alcohol use: Project Northland.Health Education Research, 8, 125–136.
Semlitz, L., & Gold, M. S. (1986). Adolescent drug abuse: Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 2, 455–473.
Tobler, N. S. (1986). Meta-analysis of 143 adolescent drug prevention programs: Quantitative outcome results of program participants compared to a control or comparison group.Journal of Drug Issues, 16, 535–567.
Wagenaar, A. C., & Perry, C. L. (1994). Community strategies for the reduction of youth drinking: Theory and application.Journal of Research on Adolescence, 4, 319–345.
Weed, N. C., Butcher, J. N., & Williams, C. L. (1994). Development of MMPI-A alcohol/drug problem scales.Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 55, 296–302.
Williams, C. L., Butcher, J. N., Ben-Porath, Y. S., Graham, J. R. (1992).MMPI-A Content Scales: Assessing psychopathology in adolescents. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Williams, C. L., Toomey, T. L., McGovern, P., Wagenaar, A. C., Perry, C. L. (in press). Development, reliability, and validity of self-report alcohol use measures with young adolescents.Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Williams, C.L., Perry, C.L., Dudovitz, B. et al. A home-based prevention program for sixth-grade alcohol use: Results from project Northland. J Primary Prevent 16, 125–147 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02407336
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02407336