Other 'What Works' Topics
Emotional and Mental Health
By Jonathan F. Zaff, Ph.D., Julia Calkins, Lisa J. Bridges, Ph.D., and Nancy Geyelin Margie
TABLE 1 TABLE 2 TABLE 3 TABLE 4 TABLE 5 TABLE 6 TABLE 7
Self-Esteem Perceived Competence Coping Depression Anxiety Eating Disorders ADHD
TABLE 8 TABLE 9 TABLE 10        
Conduct Disorder Drug and Alcohol Abuse Multiple Internalizing and Externalizing Problems        
Emotional & Mental Health

  Experimental Research Studies Non-Experimental Research Studies
Drug & Alcohol Abuse

- School-based drug prevention programs (such as "Life Skills Training"), in which students are taught to resist the pressures of advertisements, build self-esteem, manage anxiety, communicate effectively, and develop interpersonal relationships. Resulted in reduced use of drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes.

- School-based programs (such as "Project Towards No Drug Use) that teach youth coping and self-control skills, teach youth about the myths of drugs and alcohol, and teach youth about the consequences of drug and alcohol use results in the reduced use of alcohol and illicit drugs.

- Community-based family programs (such as "Creating Lasting Connections") that seek to strengthen family bonds and teach children skills for personal growth and communication through community organizations such as places of worship and recreation centers.

- Community-based alcohol prevention programs (such as "Project Northland) that include an in-school curriculum, parent education, and participation by youth in alcohol-free activities outside of school.

- Mentoring programs (such as "Big Brothers/Big Sisters" and "Across Ages") that pair an adolescent with a supportive adult mentor.

- Programs that create no-drug norms and develop drug resistance strategies for youth. Uses adult-taught curriculum, peer leaders, and parental involvement (e.g., ALERT and the Adolescent Alcohol Prevention Trial).


- Programs (e.g., the Midwestern Prevention Project) that teach parent-child intervention strategies coupled with community-level initiatives (works in the short-run, but not in the long run).

- At an individual level, increasing an adolescent's regulatory control.

- At the family level, improving parental monitoring, and targeting parental alcohol use.

- Providing adolescents with positive peer role models.

- "Boys and Girls Clubs of America"-program of cultural enrichment, health and physical education, social recreation, personal and educational development, citizenship, and leadership development.


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