Longitudinal Outcomes of an Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program for Urban Adolescents

PurposeThis randomized clinical trial examined longitudinal outcomes from an alcohol abuse prevention program aimed at urban youths.MethodsStudy participants were an ethnically and racially heterogeneous sample of early adolescents, recruited from community-based agencies in greater New York City and its environs. Once they assented to study participation and gained parental permission, youths were divided into three arms: youth intervention delivered by CD-ROM (CD), the same youth intervention plus parent intervention (CDP), and control. Once all youths completed baseline measures, those in CD and CDP arms received a computerized 10-session alcohol abuse prevention program. Parents of youths in the CDP arm received supplemental materials to support and strengthen their children's learning. All youths completed postintervention and annual follow-up measures, and CD- and CDP-arm participants received annual booster intervention sessions.ResultsSeven years following postintervention testing and relative to control-arm youths, youths in CD and CDP arms reported less alcohol use, cigarette use, binge drinking, and peer pressure to drink; fewer drinking friends; greater refusal of alcohol use opportunities; and lower intentions to drink. No differences were observed between CD and CDP arms.ConclusionsStudy findings lend support to the potential of computerized, skills-based prevention programs to help urban youth reduce their risks for underage drinking.