Drug Abuse Prevention Programming Do We Know What Content Works?

This article summarizes the theoretical underpinnings, substantive contents, and limitations of comprehensive social-influences-based drug abuse prevention programming. This type of programming has produced the most consistently successful preventive effects. There is some evidence that one major part of these programs, changing social norms, is an essential ingredient for successful drug abuse prevention programming. Research suggests that these effects may not be contingent on the use of refusal assertion training, a prototype activity of social-influences-based prevention programs. Because programs, when disseminated to the public, often contain only a subset of lessons from the social influences curriculum, there remains the potential error of implementing a combination of lessons that may not be effective. Further, there is evidence that other types of prevention programming, such as physical consequences programming, may be successful in some situations. Finally, social-influences-based programming may not be as effective with some subpopulations such as high-risk youths

Three variations on the Australian supported playgroup model

The supported playgroup model has widespread popularity in Australia, though its informality may work against building the evidence base needed to sustain governmental funding. The wide uptake of the supported playgroup service model among community organisations in Australia demonstrates its potential and popularity. This article discusses the Families New South Wales (NSW) supported playgroup model and demonstrates how it can be adapted to meet the needs of a variety of target populations. Three programmes utilising the supported playgroup model are described, serving parents and carers living in areas of economic disadvantage, mothers living with mental illness and parents and carers of children with disabilities. Each case study highlights how the programme operationalises the Families NSW supported playgroup model. The article provides a conceptual framework, drawing on relevant social theory about potential impacts at the levels of policy, organisations, community and parent−child relationships, with recommendations for future research. Key Practitioner Message: •The Australian supported playgroup model combines parent peer support, child opportunities for play and referrals to community services; • This model works with a variety of populations as a prevention strategy and soft entry point for community services; • Theory supports potential outcomes at different ecological levels