NCJ Number
69260
Date Published
1980
Length
53 pages
Annotation
THE LEARNING LABORATORY (LL), DEVELOPED IN 1974 TO TEST THE REHABILITATIVE EFFECT OF AN EDUCATION PROGRAM ON 160 INNER-CITY YOUTHFUL DRUG ABUSERS, BOTH DECREASES DRUG ABUSE AND IMPROVES EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS.
Abstract
LL YOUTHS RANGED FROM 12 TO 21 YEARS OLD. AVERAGE PARTICIPATION TIME WAS 6.5 MONTHS; YOUTHS WERE 76 PERCENT SCHOOL DROPOUTS, 75 PERCENT UNEMPLOYED, AND 95 PERCENT USED DRUGS ONCE A WEEK TO DAILY. YOUTHS ENTERING LL WERE EXPERIENCING MANY INTERPERSONAL, FAMILIAL, AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS. LL TREATMENT ADDRESSED A VARIETY OF TOPICS ON REMEDIAL TO ADVANCED LEVELS AND USED VARIOUS FORMATS. WORKSHOPS, CLASSES, AND SPECIAL PROJECTS AIMED AT IMPROVING ACADEMIC SKILLS AND INCREASING YOUTHS' KNOWLEDGE OF PERSONAL, SOCIAL, VOCATIONAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND PROBLEMS COMMONLY AFFECTING INNER-CITY YOUTHS AND ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG ABUSE. PROGRAMS INCLUDED ENGLISH AND SPANISH CLASSES, BASIC SKILLS WORKSHOPS, FIELD TRIPS, COUNSELING, AND OTHERS. LL YOUTHS WERE INVOLVED IN REGULAR EVALUATIONS OF THEIR PROGRESS, AND EACH STUDENT KEPT A JOURNAL. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM WAS EVALUATED BY MEASURING PRETEST AND POSTTEST CHANGES IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS, DRUG USE PATTERNS, AND INVOLVEMENT IN PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITIES. LL PARTICIPANTS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED IN THE THREE AREAS, AND RESULTS COMPARE FAVORABLY WITH NORMATIVE TRENDS AND OTHER PROGRAMMATIC INTERVENTIONS. CLIENTS LEAST SUCCESSFUL IN LL ENTERED WITH LOW READING SCORES AND LED UNSTABLE LIVES. THOSE LEAVING BEFORE THEY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM LEFT DUE TO FINANCIAL, EMOTIONAL, OR PERSONAL PROBLEMS. AN ANALYSIS OF CLIENTS' NEEDS FOLLOWING UP THE PROGRAM INDICATES A CONTINUED PATTERN OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AND NEED FOR VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING. TABLES, APPENDIXES, FOOTNOTES, AND APPROXIMATELY 90 REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.