Parents' Perceptions of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (DARE).

Responses from 420 parents of fifth- and sixth-grade DARE students in a Midwestern county were examined to determine the parents' perceptions of the impact of DARE on their children's and their own attitudes and behavior. Major findings indicated that most parents did not see an impact on their child's school performance or overall attendance. Most perceived program impact with respect to the child's improved understanding and ability to resist drug use and improved perception of police officers. Most parents themselves reported increased awareness of substance abuse problems and increased conversation with their children about drug use as a result of DARE. Relevance of the findings to describing the perceived value and utility of DARE for parents as a stakeholder group is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]