Beth B Bascom, BS, Plymouth State University, 204 Pinnacle Hill Road, New Hampton, NH 03256, 603-744-5855, thebascoms@metrocast.net and Rodney J. Bascom, BA, BS, MPH, Virology Laboratory, State of New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301.

Donna Shalala, the former director of the NIDA, has identified substance abuse as the “most destructive health and social problem facing our Nation today” (Leshner, p.3). The current theories surrounding adolescent substance abuse prevention are the risk/protective factor model (Borgenschneider) and an ecological model which includes a multi-faceted, community-based approach that targets not only people’s individual behavior, but the social/political/physical systems that surround and impact them (Merzel & D'Afflitti; IOM). One protective factor is the possession of certain Developmental Assets. Research indicates that the more Developmental Assets teenager’s possess the less likely they are to engage in risky behavior (Scales). Religiosity has been identified as a powerful protective factor, being inversely related to onset of sexual behavior and substance abuse among adolescence (Stewart; Werlieb). Despite the robust research connecting religious faith and lower use of alcohol, there is a lack of ecological, community-based intervention models for adolescent substance abuse that effectively incorporates the faith-based community. This paper proposes the promotion of Developmental Assets by the faith-based community as part of a sustainable, ecological, community-based model for adolescent substance abuse prevention.

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