D.A.R.E. PLUS

Principal Investigator
Cheryl L. Perry, PhD, University of Minnesota

Funding
National Institute on Drug Abuse

Objective
The project evaluated the middle/junior high school D.A.R.E. curriculum and the D.A.R.E. PLUS program for changes in the trajectories of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and multi-drug use violence and victimization among young adolescents.

Method
Twenty-four schools were randomized to the D.A.R.E. middle/junior high curriculum, the D.A.R.E. PLUS components, and control. The D.A.R.E. PLUS components included the D.A.R.E. curriculum; a classroom, peer-led and parental involvement program called On the Verge; parent postcards; youth-led extracurricular activities; and adult action teams. Process evaluation and annual surveys of students were conducted. Growth curve analytic methods were used to assess outcomes.

Results
There were no significant differences between D.A.R.E. and the controls. There were significant differences among boys between D.A.R.E. PLUS and control schools in tobacco, alcohol, and multi-drug use and victimization. There were significant differences among boys between D.A.R.E. PLUS and D.A.R.E.-only schools in tobacco use and violence. There were no significant differences between conditions among girls. Psychological factors support the changes that were found in behavioral outcomes.

Conclusion
D.A.R.E. PLUS significantly enhanced the effectiveness of the D.A.R.E. curriculum among boys, underscoring the potential of multi-year, multi-component prevention programs, and suggesting further research on gender differences in response to school and community interventions.

Materials
D.A.R.E. PLUS curriculum and student and family materials will be available in Fall 2003. Contact: mortenson@epi.umn.edu

Publications
Perry CL, Komro KA, Veblen-Mortenson S, Bosma LM, Farbakhsh K, Munson KA, Stigler MH, Lytle LA. A randomized controlled trial of the junior high D.A.R.E. And D.A.R.E PLUS. programs. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. In press.