Adolescence today is broadly perceived as a more difficult and dangerous period than in previous decades. Those holding this view point to increases in teenage pregnancy and childbearing, sexually transmitted diseases, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, juvenile arrests, depression, and suicide as indicators of changing conditions. Although uncommon in childhood, these problems increase in early adolescence, and they can lead to greater likelihood of negative developmental trajectories. Because young adolescents are at the age when these issues are surfacing, they are a particularly important target group for interventions designed to prevent or delay the onset of negative behavior patterns (Crockett & Petersen, in press). Preventive interventions targeting older youth often start too late, after the onset of the behavior they are designed to prevent. Early adolescence is a good time to intervene, before behavior patterns solidify, increasing the risks of more serious problems

Barber, Bonnie L.

Crockett, Lisa J

English

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Faculty Publications, Department of Psychology Psychology, Department of January 1993 Preventive Interventions in Early Adolescence: Developmental and Contextual Challenges Bonnie L. Barber The Pennsylvania State University Lisa J. Crockett University of Nebraska-Lincoln, ecrockett1@unl.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/psychfacpub  Part of the Psychiatry and Psychology Commons Barber, Bonnie L. and Crockett, Lisa J., "Preventive Interventions in Early Adolescence: Developmental and Contextual Challenges" (1993). Faculty Publications, Department of Psychology. 249. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/psychfacpub/249 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Psychology, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications, Department of Psychology by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Published in Early Adolescence: Perspectives on Research, Policy, and Inter-vention. Edited by Richard M. Lerner. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publish-ers: Hillsdale, NJ, & London, 1993. Pp. 311–314.Copyright © 1993 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Used by permission.Preventive Interventions in Early Adolescence: Developmental and Contextual Challenges Bonnie L. Barber Lisa J. Crockett The Pennsylvania State Un iversity Adolescence today is broadly perceived as a more difficult and dan- gerous period than in previous decades. Those holding this view point to increases in teenage pregnancy and childbearing, sexually transmitted diseases, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, juvenile arrests, depression, and suicide as indicators of changing conditions. Although uncommon in childhood, these problems increase in early adolescence, and they can lead to greater likelihood of negative developmental trajectories. Be- cause young adolescents are at the age when these issues are surfacing, they are a particularly important target group for interventions designed to prevent or delay the onset of negative behavior patterns (Crockett & Petersen, in press). Preventive interventions targeting older youth often start too late, after the onset of the behavior they are designed to prevent. Early adolescence is a good time to intervene, before behavior patterns solidify, increasing the risks of more serious problems. The goal of this section is to integrate existing research on early adolescent development with the available literature on preventive interventions. The chapters present a discussion of a variety of problems in early adolescence: teenage pregnancy, early childbearing, HIV infec- tion, substance abuse, and depression. In focusing on issues for de- signing preventive interventions, the authors discuss what content and style of program would be expected to be most effective with young adolescents. Each author had a different amount of prevention research to draw upon. For some of the content areas, there has been a longer history of research and prevention, whereas others are relatively new to 3 12 1 BARBER AND CROCKETT prevention efforts. The effectiveness of programs already in place is considered. Suggestions are offered when prevention efforts have not yet been implemented (or have not been evaluated). Rather than at- tempting a comprehensive review of the prevention literature, the following chapters illustrate several content areas useful for the under- standing of the connections between research and application. Common approaches discussed across most or all of the problem areas include the provision of information, enhancing interpersonal skills, providing increased access to relevant resources, and improving social support. In addition, the chapters recommend that for a program to be successful, it should promote competence that will generalize beyond the specific problem. Multifaceted interventions (i .e., those combining several approaches targeting different dimensions of the problem) appear to be more successful in altering behavior than unidi- mensional efforts (Perry & Jessor, 1985; Rolf, 1985). For this reason, a number of investigators advocate community-wide interventions that have an impact at multiple levels of the environment. Key themes highlighted by the chapters include the need to design developmentally appropriate interventions, and the requirement for sensitivity to the cultural setting in which adolescents are growing up. Specifically, the unique characteristics of the early adolescent period should be considered in program planning, as should the competencies and limitations of the targeted individuals. In addition, sensitivity to diversity is crucial, as each racial, ethnic, and cultural group may present particular needs. Sensitivity to community norms and values is also crucial because community support is critical both for mounting a viable intervention program and for maintaining its effectiveness. Programs that undermine communiiy values will meet with strong resistance. Furthermore, in some cases, community agencies such as schools, local media, and service organizations may play active roles in intervention delivery, making community commitment essential. These issues are first illustrated in the chapter on adolescent preg- nancy prevention. Crockett and Chopak emphasize the need to tailor programs to the individual characteristics of adolescents, especially their cognitive and emotional level, as these are influenced by the cultural setting. During early adolescence there is an opportunity to use developmentally appropriate methods to delay the onset of sexual behavior and to instill positive attitudes toward contraception. The authors also highlight the importance of motivation as well as ability in delaying the onset of risk behavior and in using effective contraception. They also stress the importance of recruiting community support for programming. PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS 1 3 13 The chapter on Hispanic adolescent sexuality and childbearing de- scribes the importance of both subgroup diversity and shared cultural values as these affect adolescent childbearing among Hispanics. Fennelly elaborates on the contradictions of the contexts in which young His- panic adolescents develop. Family and peer group attitudes are conflict- ing, leading to the need for preventive interventions sensitive to the divergent pressures facing these adolescents. D'Augelli and Bingham discuss the need for AIDS programs that reflect multiple prevention strategies and multiple levels of preven- tion based on the salient contexts of adolescence (family, school, community). As in the first two chapters in this section, D'Augelli and Bingham point out that preventing the initiation of risk behavior is preferable to trying to change it once it is established. To reduce the risk of HIV infection, preventive efforts must be focused on both sexual behavior and drug use. Personal skills are highlighted as crucial in prevention efforts, as are the social networks of peers, family, and community. Individual differences and contextual influences are also important in the etiology of drug use. Swisher's chapter discusses how intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual influences converge to affect beliefs about the rewards and risks of substance abuse. Presenting a model that describes these three levels of influence, Swisher suggests that one prevention strategy may be to intervene directly with beliefs and perceptions that are related to substance use. He points out that interventions using simultaneous combinations of individual, interper- sonal, and extrapersonal domains have more lasting effects on levels of substance use than those targeting a single domain. The importance of developmentally appropriate programs is further illustrated in the Kennedy chapter on early adolescent depression. As with other chapters in this section, the importance of the interaction between the young adolescent and the setting is emphasized. Depression is viewed as resulting from a mismatch between the challenges of the early adolescent period and the coping resources of individuals. Preven- tion efforts then, are geared toward facilitating the mastery of age- related tasks. By design, the chapters in this section each focus on a single problem. A number of these problems covary, however, and have common antecedents (Dryfoos, 1990). Although research has documented the interrelationships among adolescent problems, only recently have inter- ventions begun to target multiple problems. In this new stage of prevention research and practice, it may be possible to intervene at multiple levels to effect several problems simultaneously. 3 14 1 BARBER AND CROCKETT REFERENCES Crockett, L. J., & Petersen, A. C. (in press). Adolescent development: Health risks and opportunities for health promotion. In S. G. Millstein, A. C. Petersen, & E. 0 .  Nightingale (Eds.), Adolescent healthpromotion. New York: Oxford University Press. Dryfoos, J. G. (1990). Adolescents at  risk: Prevalence &prevention. New York: Oxford University Press. Perry, C. L., & Jessor, R. (1985). The concept of health promotion and the prevention of adolescent drug abuse. Health Education Quarterly, 1 2 ,  169- 184. Rolf, J. E. (1985). Evolving adaptive theories and methods for prevention research with children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 63 1-646. 

Preventive Interventions in Early Adolescence: Developmental and Contextual Challenges

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Faculty Publications, Department of Psychology Psychology, Department of 
January 1993 
Preventive Interventions in Early Adolescence: Developmental and 
Contextual Challenges 
Bonnie L. Barber 
The Pennsylvania State University 
Lisa J. Crockett 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, ecrockett1@unl.edu 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/psychfacpub 
 Part of the Psychiatry and Psychology Commons 
Barber, Bonnie L. and Crockett, Lisa J., "Preventive Interventions in Early Adolescence: Developmental and 
Contextual Challenges" (1993). Faculty Publications, Department of Psychology. 249. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/psychfacpub/249 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Psychology, Department of at 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications, 
Department of Psychology by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 
Published in Early Adolescence: Perspectives on Research, Policy, and Inter-
vention. Edited by Richard M. Lerner. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publish-
ers: Hillsdale, NJ, & London, 1993. Pp. 311–314.
Copyright © 1993 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Used by permission.
Preventive Interventions in 
Early Adolescence: 
Developmental and 
Contextual Challenges 
Bonnie L. Barber 
Lisa J. Crockett 
The Pennsylvania State Un iversity 
Adolescence today is broadly perceived as a more difficult and dan- 
gerous period than in previous decades. Those holding this view point to 
increases in teenage pregnancy and childbearing, sexually transmitted 
diseases, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, juvenile arrests, depression, and 
suicide as indicators of changing conditions. Although uncommon in 
childhood, these problems increase in early adolescence, and they can 
lead to greater likelihood of negative developmental trajectories. Be- 
cause young adolescents are at the age when these issues are surfacing, 
they are a particularly important target group for interventions designed 
to prevent or delay the onset of negative behavior patterns (Crockett & 
Petersen, in press). Preventive interventions targeting older youth often 
start too late, after the onset of the behavior they are designed to 
prevent. Early adolescence is a good time to intervene, before behavior 
patterns solidify, increasing the risks of more serious problems. 
The goal of this section is to integrate existing research on early 
adolescent development with the available literature on preventive 
interventions. The chapters present a discussion of a variety of problems 
in early adolescence: teenage pregnancy, early childbearing, HIV infec- 
tion, substance abuse, and depression. In focusing on issues for de- 
signing preventive interventions, the authors discuss what content and 
style of program would be expected to be most effective with young 
adolescents. Each author had a different amount of prevention research 
to draw upon. For some of the content areas, there has been a longer 
history of research and prevention, whereas others are relatively new to 
3 12 1 BARBER AND CROCKETT 
prevention efforts. The effectiveness of programs already in place is 
considered. Suggestions are offered when prevention efforts have not 
yet been implemented (or have not been evaluated). Rather than at- 
tempting a comprehensive review of the prevention literature, the 
following chapters illustrate several content areas useful for the under- 
standing of the connections between research and application. 
Common approaches discussed across most or all of the problem 
areas include the provision of information, enhancing interpersonal 
skills, providing increased access to relevant resources, and improving 
social support. In addition, the chapters recommend that for a program 
to be successful, it should promote competence that will generalize 
beyond the specific problem. Multifaceted interventions (i .e., those 
combining several approaches targeting different dimensions of the 
problem) appear to be more successful in altering behavior than unidi- 
mensional efforts (Perry & Jessor, 1985; Rolf, 1985). For this reason, a 
number of investigators advocate community-wide interventions that 
have an impact at multiple levels of the environment. 
Key themes highlighted by the chapters include the need to design 
developmentally appropriate interventions, and the requirement for 
sensitivity to the cultural setting in which adolescents are growing up. 
Specifically, the unique characteristics of the early adolescent period 
should be considered in program planning, as should the competencies 
and limitations of the targeted individuals. In addition, sensitivity to 
diversity is crucial, as each racial, ethnic, and cultural group may present 
particular needs. Sensitivity to community norms and values is also 
crucial because community support is critical both for mounting a viable 
intervention program and for maintaining its effectiveness. Programs 
that undermine communiiy values will meet with strong resistance. 
Furthermore, in some cases, community agencies such as schools, local 
media, and service organizations may play active roles in intervention 
delivery, making community commitment essential. 
These issues are first illustrated in the chapter on adolescent preg- 
nancy prevention. Crockett and Chopak emphasize the need to tailor 
programs to the individual characteristics of adolescents, especially 
their cognitive and emotional level, as these are influenced by the 
cultural setting. During early adolescence there is an opportunity to use 
developmentally appropriate methods to delay the onset of sexual 
behavior and to instill positive attitudes toward contraception. The 
authors also highlight the importance of motivation as well as ability in 
delaying the onset of risk behavior and in using effective contraception. 
They also stress the importance of recruiting community support for 
programming. 
PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS 1 3 13 
The chapter on Hispanic adolescent sexuality and childbearing de- 
scribes the importance of both subgroup diversity and shared cultural 
values as these affect adolescent childbearing among Hispanics. Fennelly 
elaborates on the contradictions of the contexts in which young His- 
panic adolescents develop. Family and peer group attitudes are conflict- 
ing, leading to the need for preventive interventions sensitive to the 
divergent pressures facing these adolescents. 
D'Augelli and Bingham discuss the need for AIDS programs that 
reflect multiple prevention strategies and multiple levels of preven- 
tion based on the salient contexts of adolescence (family, school, 
community). As in the first two chapters in this section, D'Augelli and 
Bingham point out that preventing the initiation of risk behavior is 
preferable to trying to change it once it is established. To reduce the risk 
of HIV infection, preventive efforts must be focused on both sexual 
behavior and drug use. Personal skills are highlighted as crucial in 
prevention efforts, as are the social networks of peers, family, and 
community. 
Individual differences and contextual influences are also important in 
the etiology of drug use. Swisher's chapter discusses how intrapersonal, 
interpersonal, and contextual influences converge to affect beliefs about 
the rewards and risks of substance abuse. Presenting a model that 
describes these three levels of influence, Swisher suggests that one 
prevention strategy may be to intervene directly with beliefs and 
perceptions that are related to substance use. He points out that 
interventions using simultaneous combinations of individual, interper- 
sonal, and extrapersonal domains have more lasting effects on levels of 
substance use than those targeting a single domain. 
The importance of developmentally appropriate programs is further 
illustrated in the Kennedy chapter on early adolescent depression. As 
with other chapters in this section, the importance of the interaction 
between the young adolescent and the setting is emphasized. Depression 
is viewed as resulting from a mismatch between the challenges of the 
early adolescent period and the coping resources of individuals. Preven- 
tion efforts then, are geared toward facilitating the mastery of age- 
related tasks. 
By design, the chapters in this section each focus on a single problem. 
A number of these problems covary, however, and have common 
antecedents (Dryfoos, 1990). Although research has documented the 
interrelationships among adolescent problems, only recently have inter- 
ventions begun to target multiple problems. In this new stage of 
prevention research and practice, it may be possible to intervene at 
multiple levels to effect several problems simultaneously. 
3 14 1 BARBER AND CROCKETT 
REFERENCES 
Crockett, L. J., & Petersen, A. C. (in press). Adolescent development: Health risks and 
opportunities for health promotion. In S. G. Millstein, A. C. Petersen, & E. 0 .  
Nightingale (Eds.), Adolescent healthpromotion. New York: Oxford University Press. 
Dryfoos, J. G. (1990). Adolescents at  risk: Prevalence &prevention. New York: Oxford 
University Press. 
Perry, C. L., & Jessor, R. (1985). The concept of health promotion and the prevention of 
adolescent drug abuse. Health Education Quarterly, 1 2 ,  169- 184. 
Rolf, J. E. (1985). Evolving adaptive theories and methods for prevention research with 
children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 63 1-646. 


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