Use of harmful substances (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs), violence/injury, and related sexual risks (STDs, HIV/AIDS, teenage and unwanted pregnancy) among youth are widespread and serious problems. Finding ways of preventing adolescents, particularly minority youth, from initiation or continuation of risky health behaviors is therefore of utmost importance.
An innovative middle school-based risk prevention/resilience building study (TEENSMART) for young minority youth has been funded and initiated across three large metropolitan school systems in the Southeast. The long-term aim of this study is to reduce substance use, violence/injury, and risky sexual behaviors among female in grades 6 – 8. Based upon the guiding framework, Social Stress Model (Rhodes & Jessor, 1988), practical goals of the intervention study include: (1) assisting young adolescents to become more consciously aware of their personal choices and responsibilities to engage or not engage in alcohol, tobacco, and drug use; violence/injury; and risky sexual behaviors, while (2) simultaneously empowering them to significantly increase those personal and interpersonal competencies necessary to make healthier choices for successful transition to young adulthood.
Many unanticipated challenges were encountered during the study’s first year of implementation. Included among these challenges were distinct differences between support and approval, research nomenclature, legal constraints, and educational reform mandates for increasing school accountability at the local level. From qualitative inquiry, a number of vital lessons and insights emerged and will be shared during this presentation.
Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives: Following this session, the participant will be able to: 1. Describe the need and value for intervention research in schools. 2. Discuss challenges to be encountered during school-based research implementation. 3. Describe opportunities to minimize research implementation challenges within school settings.
Keywords: School-Based Programs, Research Agenda
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens (Covey, 1998)
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.