Preventing drug abuse among adolescent girls: outcome data from an internet-based intervention

Prev Sci. 2010 Mar;11(1):24-32. doi: 10.1007/s11121-009-0146-9.

Abstract

This study developed and tested an Internet-based gender-specific drug abuse prevention program for adolescent girls. A sample of seventh, eighth, and ninth grade girls (N = 236) from 42 states and 4 Canadian provinces were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. All girls completed an online pretest battery. Following pretest, intervention girls interacted with a 12-session, Internet-based gender-specific drug prevention program. Girls in both groups completed the measurement battery at posttest and 6-month follow-up. Analysis of posttest scores revealed no differences between groups for 30-day reports of alcohol, marijuana, poly drug use, or total substance use (alcohol and drugs). At 6-month follow-up, between-group effects were found on measures of 30-day alcohol use, marijuana use, poly drug use, and total substance use. Relative to girls in the control group, girls exposed to the Internet-based intervention reported lower rates of use for these substances. Moreover, girls receiving the intervention achieved gains over girls in the control group on normative beliefs and self-efficacy at posttest and 6-month follow-up, respectively.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Female
  • Health Behavior
  • Health Promotion
  • Humans
  • Internet / statistics & numerical data*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / prevention & control*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires