Examined relationships between drug trafficking (selling and delivering), cigarette and alcohol use, and illicit drug use among African-American adolescents. Found that drug trafficking is equally likely to occur with or without cigarette and alcohol use or illicit drug involvement, suggesting that intervention should extend to drug trafficking in…

Students from sixth grade to college were asked to react to a hypothetical case of problem drinking. With age, the students perceived the problem as less serious, less often attributed it to moral weakness, more often emphasized the individual's responsibility for solving the problem, and expressed more acceptance. Males were more likely than…

Examined effectiveness of workshops to help first-year college students become aware of their reasons for alcohol and drug use, learn skills to resist peer pressure to drink and use drugs, and learn about assertiveness and stress reduction. Workshops did not result in significant changes in reasons for using alcohol/drugs or in alcohol/drug use…

Examines how parental and peer sexual-socialization influences are related to gender, ethnicity, religious background, and college membership in a fraternity or sorority. Findings are based on responses from 557 college students and are discussed with respect to the concerns of social scientists regarding the influence of fraternities and…

Suggests peer mediation as an alternative dispute resolution approach. Indicates the need to shift the focus from crisis intervention to prevention and to integrate dispute resolution skills into the school environment. (JOW)

An intensive three-day program at the Pines Catholic Camp, followed by weekly support meetings, aim to prevent Dallas teens from turning to gang participation. Program components include personal goal setting, commitment to a code of conduct, and physical activities that promote group unity and positive peer pressure. (SV)

Examined relationship between peer interactions and similarity in drug use among friends. Findings from large sample of secondary school students (n=113,289) indicated that youth who used specific drugs in last 30 days almost invariably had friends who used same drugs but was considerably less likely to have friends who used other drugs or no…

Over five days, videotaped and analyzed contrived play sessions of African-American male first and third graders to examine behavioral patterns leading to chronic victimization by peers. Victims demonstrated lower rates of assertive behaviors and higher rates of nonassertive behaviors than nonvictims. Children who eventually emerged as chronic…

Focuses on Woodland Hills, Minnesota peer-group treatment program for adolescent delinquents based on Positive Peer Culture (PPC) treatment model. Notes that, in recent years, over 80% of Woodland Hills students also have presented history of alcohol and drug abuse. Describes Woodland Hills substance abuse program which is integrated into PPC…

Newly admitted international graduate and undergraduate students, the majority of whom come from Asian countries, participated in an International Peer Program (IPP). Results suggest that the IPP participants showed significantly higher social adjustment scores than nonparticipants. Students from Asian countries had more difficulty adjusting to…

A survey of 172 family doctors found that they approached educationally influential (EI) physicians they knew through their hospitals; only 20% used e-mail and 40% the Internet for medical information; EI physicians helped extend their knowledge and validate innovations found in the literature; and health care reform was negatively affecting…

Contends that inclusion alone does not address concerns of children of color. Provides guidelines for adapting the curriculum and interactions in a kindergarten setting. Suggests that, by viewing the antithetical concept of exclusion, early-childhood educators gain insight into the problem. (LBT)

Offers a format for assessing the social systems in which gay and lesbian young people live in order to better meet their individual needs, which involves supporting them and working with their peers, teachers, and families to create a safe, belonging environment. (Author/MKA)

Assessed the impact of fear of criminal victimization on juvenile firearm possession at school, controlling for social-bond theory and differential-association theories. Responses from approximately 8,000 high school students show a significant association between fear of criminal victimization and firearms possession. (SLD)

Peer interactions and cognitive outcomes during college were studied at 23 institutions. Models of college impact are reviewed. Peer interactions include course-related and other activities occurring inside and outside classroom settings. Outcomes for three years are reported. Data support a strong positive effect of peer interactions on cognitive…