A COMPUTER-BASED YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE TRAINING PROGRAM

THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP A COMPUTER-BASED YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE FITNESS LIFE SKILLS TRAINING PRODUCT FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, USING STATE-FO-THE-ART HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE TECHNOLGOY. A SYSTEMATIC CURRICULUM REQUIRING SIXTY-FOUR HOURS OF CLASSROOM TRAINING HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO DELIVER THE FITNESS LIFE SKILLS MODEL. HOWEVER, THE LENGTH AND EXPENSE REQUIRED TO TRAIN AND TEST HEALTH PROFESSIONALS NECESSITATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPUTER-BASE TRAINING ("CBT") PRODUCT. THE CNT PRODUCT WILL ALLOW THE FITNESS LIFE SKILLS MODEL TO BE SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED AND EXPANDED WITHIN YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ENVIRONMENTS WITH REDUCED LABOR AND TRAINING COSTS. THE SPECIFIC AIMS DURING PHASE I ARE: (1) TO EVALUATE AND BEGIN MODIFICATION OF THE EXISTING YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE FITNESS LIFE SKILLS TRAINING MODEL FOR A CBT PRODUCTS; (2) TO DEVELOP A CBT PROTOTYPE FOR ONE KNOWLEDGE MODULE AND ONE SKILL MODULE OF THE FITNESS LIFE SKILLS MODEL; AND (3) TO TEST THE CBT PROTOTYPE FOR EFFECTIVENESS, EASE OF USE, ACCEPTABILITY, AND APPROPRIATENESS FOR TRAINING YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE HEALTH PROFESSINALS. ACHIEVEMENT OF THESE SPECIFIC AIMS WILL RESULT IN LONG-TERM IN AN INNOVATIVE, COMMERICALLY VIABLE PRODUCT FOR USE IN TRAINING YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.