Adolescent Protective Factors of Substance Use: Comparing Youth's Responses by Their Indication of Their Family's Military Status

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of a prevention program that enhances protective factors associated with delaying/preventing the onset of illicit substance use among seventh graders. Examinations were made on rates of attitudes, intentions, and related variables among youth who reported being from military and nonmilitary families (N = 173). Intervention students who reported being from a military family evidenced improvements in six of the nine protective factors addressed in the intervention. Findings indicate a school-based prevention approach previously found to be effective among middle school students is also effective for youth from military families.

Keywords:

• Stay on Track
• prevention program
• military adolescent
• military children
• risk factors
• protective factors
• substance use prevention
• illicit substance use prevention
• evidence-based
• school-based prevention program