A prevention program for adolescent substance abuse: Self -agency, community participation and religious perception

• Main Author: Gould, Jennie Ruth
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2004
• Subjects: Clinical psychology; Psychotherapy; Religion
• ISBN: 9780496556939; 0496556932

This dissertation explores the roles of agency, community participation, and the perception of life as sacred in adolescents at risk for alcohol and substance abuse. The fields of social cognitive theory of agency, developmental psychology, faith development theory, research on adolescent alcohol and substance abuse, and psychologies and theologies of liberation are brought together in this study to address the following question: does participation in an adolescent alcohol and drug abuse prevention program that emphasizes agency, community participation, and spiritually-oriented activities result in decreased drug and alcohol use? One hundred nineteen participants completed a demographic questionnaire, as well as the instruments discussed below, on the first day of this prevention program and five days later at the conclusion of the program. The revised Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test measured reported use of alcohol and drugs. The Internal Control, Chance and Powerful Others Scale, Self-Esteem Scale, Helplessness Scale and Brief Symptom Inventory (anxiety and depression subscales) measured aspects of agency. The Dean Alienation Scale, Sociopolitical Control Scale, and Community Service Attitude Scale measured aspects of community participation. The Religious Outcome Scale and Perceiving Life as Sacred Scale measured the effectiveness of spiritually-oriented activities. Approximately six months later fifty-four participants completed the same instruments. In this outcome study the hypotheses predicted before and after differences, as follows: (1) statistically significant decreases in alcohol and substance abuse, depression, anxiety, alienation, and helplessness; (2) statistically significant increases in internal control, self-esteem, and belonging to community; and (3) statistically significant increases in community participation, sociopolitical control and perceptions of life as sacred. There was no control group available for this longitudinal exploratory outcome study. At the six months follow-up time, there were decreases in use of alcohol and other substances, as well as anxiety. At the end of the program, there were increases in self-esteem, belonging to and participating in community organizations, and participants' perception of life as sacred. These increases were maintained six months later. There were decreases in alienation and helplessness at the end of the program and six months later.