Guide to Effective Programs
for Children and Youth

Adolescent Social Action Program (ASAP)

OVERVIEW

The Adolescent Social Action Program (ASAP) targets low-income, high-risk, minority youth in New Mexico. The program is designed to reduce drug- and alcohol- related morbidity and mortality as well as empower youth to become leaders in their communities. ASAP uses visits to hospitals and detention centers. During these visits, participants interview patients, families, and jail residents who have been affected by drug and alcohol abuse problems. The participants then debriefed in groups with ASAP facilitators and worked on social action projects. ASAP also included booster sessions conducted six months after students received the program. The program is run through schools and has been implemented at the elementary-, middle-, and high-school level.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: ASAP has been used with low-income, high-risk, minority youth in elementary through high school.

The Adolescent Social Action Program is a school-based program designed to target low-income, high-risk, minority youth in New Mexico. The program has two goals. The first is to reduce drug- and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality. The second goal is to empower youth to become leaders in their communities. ASAP incorporates classroom curriculum with visits to hospital/detention centers. Facilitators of ASAP work with youth over the course of six-week hospital/detention center sessions. Students who participate in ASAP visit the centers in small groups as well as meet one night a week. On the site visits, the students interview patients, their families, and jail residents who were in the facilities for alcohol or drug related reasons. Participants were debriefed and also participated in activities to enhance their experience.

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

Helitzer, D.L. & Soo-Jin, Y. (2002). Process evaluation of the Adolescent Social Action Program in New Mexico. In A. Steckler & L. Linnan (Eds.) Process Evaluation for Public Health Interventions and Research. (pp.83-109). Indianapolis, IN: Jossey Bass.

Evaluated population: Eight Albuquerque middle schools were evaluated in 1994. Four schools were randomly assigned to receive the ASAP program while the other four schools were randomly assigned as comparison schools. In total, there were 865 students participated in the evaluation.

Approach: Students were evaluated using a questionnaire designed to measure students’ perception of their vulnerability to risky behavior, their perception of their social behavior self-efficacy, and their empathy towards other. Questionnaires were administered at pre-test, post-test, six weeks, eight months, and 15 months post-test. In addition, the researchers collected data on tobacco use by collecting saliva samples.

Results: Results of the study indicate that students in the ASAP program experienced an increase in social skills, competence, critical consciousness, knowledge, self-efficacy for social responsibility, and self-efficacy for prosocial behaviors. Participants in ASAP also indicated they were more likely to participate in collective action and had higher self-efficacy related to helping others. However, there were no differences between experimental and comparison groups in use of tobacco, alcohol, or other substance use.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

References

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: middle school/ Program age ranges in the Guide: mid-childhood, adolescence, youth

Program components: school-based

Measured outcomes: physical health, behavioral problems, citizenship

KEYWORDS: Substance Use; Tobacco; Alcohol; Hispanic/Latino; American Indian/Alaska Native; Middle School; Adolescents (12-17); Community-based; Self-efficacy; Co-ed.

Program information last updated 09/25/06