Statistical approaches to assess how prevention and intervention programs achieve their effects are described and illustrated through the evaluation of a health promotion program to reduce dietary cholesterol and a school-based drug prevention program. Analyses require the measurement of intervening or mediating variables to represent the…

Explores hindrances to sustaining African-American mobilization against Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Major obstacles include the following: (1) objective conditions; (2) attitudes toward sexuality; (3) perceptions about substance abuse and AIDS; and (4) conflicting policy views. Public health education has not been sufficient in the…

Reports on a survey of high school students' attitudes toward the destruction of materials in their school library media center. The association of rule breaking with grade level, reasons for the behavior, willingness to report violators, and respondents' preferred preventative measures (e.g., improved photocopying services) are discussed.…

Each year, thousands of young people drop out of school, begin a life of unemployment, poverty, low self-esteem, violence, and even imprisonment. This article explains the sad effects of early school exits and the critical need for school-community collaboration to prevent dropouts. School leaders must be culturally sensitive and create school…

Used latent transition analysis (LTA), methodology for testing stage-sequential models of individual growth, to compare fit of 2 models of substance use onset and to assess effects of prevention program on 2,009 early adolescents. Found that substance use onset model including alcohol and tobacco use as starting points fit better than model that…

Computer system hard drives will fail at some time. Stresses preparing to cope with emergencies that cannot be prevented, including making arrangements for use of an alternative computer in case of system failure. Outlines requirements for a computer environment; explains that backup is the key to disaster recovery. Describes four public domain…

Recommendations are made for improving the existing child protection system by consideration of children as legal persons, parental duty instead of parental rights, and the state's duty. Solutions involve recognizing what works, developing political astuteness, marketing child protective services as a business, balancing centralization and…

The effect of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic on child abuse prevention is considered on two levels: its indirect effect as resources for child abuse prevention are diverted to meet increased demands for health care, social service, and public assistance systems; and direct effects in terms of abuse and neglect of HIV-infected…

Reviews dropout characteristics; identifies the components of an overall dropout prevention approach; and describes the role of legislation, school administration, and public-private collaboratives in developing dropout prevention strategies. Emphasizes the use of public and private resources to improve the opportunities of the disadvantaged. (FMW)

Discusses the problem of drug abuse in schools in African American communities. Explores the role of education in making the drug problem worse by failing to offer students alternatives to the drug culture. Discusses how reconstruction of the American educational system is a necessary component of our fight against drugs. (JS)

A Portland, Oregon, program for dealing with gang activity required school policy changes that (1) prohibit gang markings; (2) state that school lockers and desks are the possession of the school system and subject to unannounced checks; and (3) establish guidelines with the press in covering the gang problem. (MLF)

This paper emphasizes the importance of listening to the feelings of the adolescent with a voice disorder before beginning an action-oriented approach to creating voice changes. Use of a "behavioral contract" between therapist and student to reduce vocal abuse and excessive vocal use is suggested. (JDD)

In 1991, the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect recommended the federal government begin phasing in a national, universal home visiting program for children during the neonatal period to help prevent child abuse and neglect. This article discusses the political and social factors affecting this recommendation, as well as the response…

Third-grade classrooms participated in evaluation of KIDS CARE, program to reduce youth alcohol/drug abuse through enhancing decision-making skills, self-esteem, and group bonding. Findings confirmed use of teacher nomination procedure for differentiating high- and nonrisk students and suggest that, following intervention, there was significant…

Asserts that prevention of social deviation is a major goal of contemporary Russian education. Discusses preventive pedagogy and whether it can be transformed into a systematic effort to reduce antisocial behavior. Concludes that preventive pedagogy must be linked with criminology, sociology, and other behavioral sciences if it is to succeed. (CFR)