Multimodal Substance Abuse Prevention

The Multimodal Substance Abuse Prevention project was implemented at a residential treatment center for court-adjudicated, 13- to 18-year-old males. The main purpose of the project was to determine the effectiveness of a multimodal intervention program at reducing substance use and other illegal behaviors. The program employed a triple module skills training classroom program, consisting of Botvin LifeSkills Training, the Prothrow-Stith Antiviolence Program, and the Rath Values Clarification procedure.

The Botvin intervention strategies include teaching participants 1) how to improve self-expression, 2) how to control and direct their behavior, 3) how to achieve personal and social skills, 4) how to cope with temptations and pressures to continue using drugs, and 5) a cognitive-behavioral method of understanding the effects of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco on health and behavior. Botvin strategies were modified to 20 sessions for this project. The Prothrow-Stith intervention consists of controlling tendencies toward violence and directing one's energies along socially and personally acceptable lines. The Rath intervention addresses clarifying one's values, exploring others' values, and attempting to develop and identify with a set of socially acceptable and desired values.

The goal of this program is to reduce substance use and other illegal behaviors among teenage males.

The program was evaluated using an randomized controlled experimental design over a period of 15 months. Most youth had used alcohol and other substances before entering the residential program. The intervention group showed significantly greater reductions in drug use and drug dealing. The intervention group also reported nonsignificant trends toward a greater reduction in degree of illegal behavior and alcohol use. There were no significant differences between groups in alcohol use, or in illegal violent behavior, or in school problems.