%0 Journal Article %J Prev Sci %D 2014 %T Prevention system mediation of Communities That Care effects on youth outcomes %A Brown, Eric C %A Hawkins, J D %A Rhew, Isaac C %A Shapiro, Valerie B %A Abbott, Robert D %A Oesterle, Sabrina %A Arthur, Michael W %A Briney, John S %A Catalano, Richard F %K Adolescent %K Adolescent Behavior %K Child %K Female %K Humans %K Juvenile Delinquency %K Longitudinal Studies %K Male %K Negotiating %K Residence Characteristics %K Social Welfare %K Social Work %K Substance-Related Disorders %K United States %X

This study examined whether the significant intervention effects of the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system on youth problem behaviors observed in a panel of eighth-grade students (Hawkins et al. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 163:789-798 2009) were mediated by community-level prevention system constructs posited in the CTC theory of change. Potential prevention system constructs included the community's degree of (a) adoption of a science-based approach to prevention, (b) collaboration on prevention activities, (c) support for prevention, and (d) norms against adolescent drug use as reported by key community leaders in 24 communities. Higher levels of community adoption of a science-based approach to prevention and support for prevention in 2004 predicted significantly lower levels of youth problem behaviors in 2007, and higher levels of community norms against adolescent drug use predicted lower levels of youth drug use in 2007. Effects of the CTC intervention on youth problem behaviors by the end of eighth grade were mediated fully by community adoption of a science-based approach to prevention. No other significant mediated effects were found. Results support CTC's theory of change that encourages communities to adopt a science-based approach to prevention as a primary mechanism for improving youth outcomes.

%B Prev Sci %V 15 %P 623-32 %8 2014 Oct %G eng %N 5 %R 10.1007/s11121-013-0413-7 %0 Journal Article %J J Prim Prev %D 2012 %T Predictive validity of established cut points for risk and protective factor scales from the Communities That Care youth survey %A Briney, John S %A Brown, Eric C %A Hawkins, J D %A Arthur, Michael W %K Adolescent %K Adolescent Behavior %K Child %K Factor Analysis, Statistical %K Forecasting %K Health Care Coalitions %K Humans %K Juvenile Delinquency %K Risk Assessment %K Risk Factors %K Risk Reduction Behavior %K Substance-Related Disorders %K Surveys and Questionnaires %X

Community coalitions are a popular strategy to coordinate activities and resources to prevent adolescent substance use and delinquent behavior. Despite early evidence of their lack of effectiveness, a new generation of community coalitions has shown positive results in preventing youth substance use and delinquency. This success can be attributed to coalition decision making focused on reducing local risk factors and increasing local protective factors through the use of evidence-based prevention programs. A previous study using cross-sectional data established cut point values for scales measuring risk and protective factors on the Communities That Care Youth Survey (CTCYS) to identify high levels of risk and low levels of protection in communities on each scale. The current study extended this previous research by using longitudinal data to assess the validity of risk and protective factor cut point values in predicting substance use and delinquent behavior 1 year after risk and protection were measured. The findings demonstrate the predictive validity of cut points for risk and protective factor scales measured by the CTCYS and suggest their utility in guiding prevention efforts.

%B J Prim Prev %V 33 %P 249-58 %8 2012 Dec %G eng %N 5-6 %R 10.1007/s10935-012-0280-1 %0 Journal Article %J J Adolesc Health %D 2012 %T Sustainability of the Communities That Care prevention system by coalitions participating in the Community Youth Development Study. %A Gloppen, Kari M %A Arthur, Michael W %A Hawkins, J D %A Shapiro, Valerie B %K Adolescent %K Adolescent Health Services %K Community Health Services %K Humans %K Interviews as Topic %K Preventive Health Services %K Program Evaluation %K Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic %K United States %X

PURPOSE: Community prevention coalitions are a common strategy to mobilize stakeholders to implement tested and effective prevention programs to promote adolescent health and well-being. This article examines the sustainability of Communities That Care (CTC) coalitions approximately 20 months after study support for the intervention ended.

METHODS: The Community Youth Development Study is a community-randomized trial of the CTC prevention system. Using data from 2007 and 2009 coalition leader interviews, this study reports changes in coalition activities from a period of study support for CTC (2007) to 20 months following the end of study support for CTC (2009), measured by the extent to which coalitions continued to meet specific benchmarks.

RESULTS: Twenty months after study support for CTC implementation ended, 11 of 12 CTC coalitions in the Community Youth Development Study still existed. The 11 remaining coalitions continued to report significantly higher scores on the benchmarks of phases 2 through 5 of the CTC system than did prevention coalitions in the control communities. At the 20-month follow-up, two-thirds of the CTC coalitions reported having a paid staff person.

CONCLUSIONS: This study found that the CTC coalitions maintained a relatively high level of implementation fidelity to the CTC system 20 months after the study support for the intervention ended. However, the downward trend in some of the measured benchmarks indicates that continued high-quality training and technical assistance may be important to ensure that CTC coalitions maintain a science-based approach to prevention, and continue to achieve public health impacts on adolescent health and behavior outcomes.

%B J Adolesc Health %V 51 %P 259-64 %8 2012 Sep %G eng %N 3 %R 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.12.018 %0 Journal Article %J Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med %D 2012 %T Sustained decreases in risk exposure and youth problem behaviors after installation of the Communities That Care prevention system in a randomized trial. %A Hawkins, J D %A Oesterle, Sabrina %A Brown, Eric C %A Monahan, Kathryn C %A Abbott, Robert D %A Arthur, Michael W %A Catalano, Richard F %K Adolescent %K Adolescent Behavior %K Adolescent Health Services %K Child %K Community Health Services %K Humans %K Incidence %K Juvenile Delinquency %K Multivariate Analysis %K Outcome Assessment (Health Care) %K Prevalence %K Risk Reduction Behavior %K Smoking %K Substance-Related Disorders %K United States %K Violence %X

OBJECTIVE: To test whether the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system reduced levels of risk and adolescent problem behaviors community-wide 6 years after installation of CTC and 1 year after study-provided resources ended.

DESIGN: A community randomized trial.

SETTING: Twenty-four small towns in 7 states, matched within state, randomly assigned to control or intervention condition in 2003.

PARTICIPANTS: A panel of 4407 fifth-grade students was surveyed annually through 10th grade from 2004 to 2009.

INTERVENTION: A coalition of community stakeholders received training and technical assistance to install CTC, used epidemiologic data to identify elevated risk factors and depressed protective factors in the community, and implemented programs to address their community's elevated risks from a menu of tested and effective programs for youths aged 10 to 14 years, their families, and schools.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Levels of risk and incidence and prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; delinquency; and violent behavior by grade 10.

RESULTS: Mean levels of targeted risks increased less rapidly between grades 5 and 10 in CTC than in control communities and were significantly lower in CTC than control communities in grade 10. The incidence of delinquent behavior, alcohol use, and cigarette use and the prevalence of current cigarette use and past-year delinquent and violent behavior were significantly lower in CTC than in control communities in grade 10.

CONCLUSIONS: Using the CTC system can produce enduring reductions in community-wide levels of risk factors and problem behaviors among adolescents beyond the years of supported implementation, potentially contributing to long-term public health benefits.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01088542.

%B Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med %V 166 %P 141-8 %8 2012 Feb %G eng %N 2 %R 10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.183