Longitudinal outcomes of an alcohol abuse prevention program for urban adolescents.

Purpose: This randomized clinical trial examined longitudinal outcomes from an alcohol abuse prevention program aimed at urban youths.
Methods: Study participants were an ethnically and racially heterogeneous sample of early adolescents, recruited from community-based agencies in greater New York City and its environs. Once they assented to study participation and gained parental permission, youths were divided into three arms: youth intervention delivered by CD-ROM (CD), the same youth intervention plus parent intervention (CD(P)), and control. Once all youths completed baseline measures, those in CD and CD(P) arms received a computerized 10-session alcohol abuse prevention program. Parents of youths in the CD(P) arm received supplemental materials to support and strengthen their children's learning. All youths completed postintervention and annual follow-up measures, and CD- and CD(P)-arm participants received annual booster intervention sessions.
Results: Seven years following postintervention testing and relative to control-arm youths, youths in CD and CD(P) arms reported less alcohol use, cigarette use, binge drinking, and peer pressure to drink; fewer drinking friends; greater refusal of alcohol use opportunities; and lower intentions to drink. No differences were observed between CD and CD(P) arms.
Conclusions: Study findings lend support to the potential of computerized, skills-based prevention programs to help urban youth reduce their risks for underage drinking.
(Copyright 2010 Society for Adolescent Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)