NCJ Number
232614
Journal
Journal of Drug Education Volume: 40 Issue: 1 Dated: 2010 Pages: 91-98
Date Published
2010
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article presents an overview of current and future efforts in elementary school drug prevention programs and interventions.
Abstract
This article presents a brief overview of the research results stated in the other articles in this special issue of Journal of Drug Education. The author notes that while some of the results of these studies are promising, the results also show that preventive outcomes of elementary school drug education programs are not guaranteed and may even prove to be counter-productive. The author examines the different perspectives between researchers and practitioners: practitioners are pragmatic and select drug intervention programs based on mandates and/or criteria developed by researchers and on the outcomes of needs assessments, while researchers conduct randomized control trials that are effective at evaluating programs and providing insight into how program effects are achieved but offer little assistance in developing new interventions or adjusting interventions to make them more effective. The author then looks at the use of systematic and continuous monitoring of drug intervention programs in elementary schools as a way to better inform both practitioners and program developers. Figure and references