DRUG AND ALCOHOL PREVENTION MATERIALS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARENTS

THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO HELP PARENTS EFFECTIVELY GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN INTO APPROPRIATE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS CONCERNING ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE THROUGH THE USE OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS THAT WILL EMPOWER PARENTS WITH THE SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE NEEDED TO EFFECTIVELY CHANGE THEIRCHILDREN'S BEHAVIOR. PROJECT STAFF WILL: (1) DEVELOP RESEARCH-BASED GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING, SELECTING, AND DEVELOPING CULTURE-SPECIFIC MATERIALS; (2) APPLY THOSE GUIDELINES IN THE EVALUATION OF EXISTING ALCOHOL AND DRUG PREVENTION MATERIALS AVAILABLE FORPARENTS (SPECIFICALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARENTS); 93) SELECT REPRESENTATIVE MATERIALS TO BE EVALUATED BY THE TARGET POPULATION, MOST HELPFUL TO THE TARGET POPULATION, (4) CONVENE FOCUS GROUPS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARENTS TO EVALUATETHE SELECTED MATERIALS AND TO VALIDATE STAFF PREDICTIONS REGARDING THE SUITABILITY OF MATERIALS; (5) IDENTIFY CHARACTERISTICS OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS MOST USEFUL AND ACCEPTABLE TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARENTS; AND (6) DEVELOP SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT TO BE CONDUCTED DURING PHASE II. A CATALOG OF MATERIALS WILL BE EVALUATED DURING PHASE I FOR DISSEMINATION TO LIBRARIES, CHURCHES, AND CIVIC AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT WILL INCLUDE CHARACTERISTICS APPROPRIATE FOR PRINT, AUDIOVISUALS INCLUDING VIDEO, WORKSHOPS, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND GAMES AND WILL BE DISSEMINATED TO MATERIALS DEVELOPERS.