Abstract
The Storytelling for Empowerment Program decreased marijuana and alcohol use in high risk middle school youth, aged 11–15, across two years of implementation (Cohort 98 and Cohort 99). The program was a unique combination of cultural empowerment, cognitive skills, storytelling and the arts for emotional expression. A quasi-experimental research design compared participants' pre and posttest responses on drug use and also compared participants' responses to those from students who attended comparison schools who did not receive the program. High contact participants were defined as being those above the median of contact hours for that year. For Cohort 98 this was 28 hours and for Cohort 99 this was 19.75 hours. High contact participants had the most marked changes with a decrease in their alcohol and marijuana use. In addition, all participants in the last year of the program regardless of contact hours decreased their alcohol use and increased in their resistancy to drug use.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Bandura, A. (1971). Social learning theory. Morristown, NJ: General Learning Press. Block, J., Block, J. &; Keyes, S. (1988). Longitundinally foretelling drug usage in adolescence: Early child personality and environmental precursors.Child Development, 59, 336-355.
Campbell, J. (1972). The hero with a thousand faces. Princeton: New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Castillo, J. (1982). Spiritual foundations of success. American Indian Culture and Research Journal. 6: 3, 15-34.
Cummins, J. (1981). Empowering minority students: a framework for intervention. Harvard Educational Review, 56, 18–36.
Dryfoos, J.G. (1990). Adolescents at risk. New York: University Press, Inc.
Feindler, E. L. &; Ecton, R. B. (1986). Adolescent anger control. Elmsford, NY: Pergamon Press.
Hawkins, C., Catalano, R. &; Miller, J.Y. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early childhood: Implications for substance abuse prevention. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 64–105.
Holmes, S. (1999). Storytelling powerbook facilitator's guide. Evergreen, Co: The WHEEL Council, Inc.
Jung, C. (1958). Psyche and symbol. Garden City, NJ: Doubleday Anchor.
Lisnov, L., Harding, C., Safer, L. & Kavanagh, (1998). Adolescents perceptions of substance abuse prevention strategies, 1998, Adolescence, 33: 130, 301–311.
Leukefeld, C., &; Leukefeld, A., (1999), Primary socialization theory and a socio/psycho/social/spiritual practice model for substance use. Substance Use an Misuse, 34: 7, 983–991.
McNamara, K., (1996). Adolescent substance abuse: A review of risk and protective factors. Journal of Psychological Practice, 2: 1, 36–52.
McNeal, R. &; Hansen, W., (1999). Developmental patterns associated with the onset of drug use: Changes in postulated mediators during adolescence. Journal of Drug Issues, 29: 2, 381–400.
Nelson, A. (1993). Living the wheel. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser.
Nelson, A. (1998). Storytelling powerbook. Evergreen, Co: the WHEEL Council, Inc.
Nelson, A. (1998). The learning wheel:I ideas and activities for holistic and multicultural lesson planning. Evergreen, Co.: the WHEEL Council, Inc.
Newcomb, M.D. &; Bentler, P.M. (1989). Substance use and abuse among children and teenagers. American Psychologist, 44, 242–248.
Newcomb, M.D. &; Earleywine, M. (1996). Intrapersonal contributors to drug use: The willing host. American Behavioral Scientist, 39, 823–837.
Paglia, A. &; Room, R. (1999). Preventing substance use problems among youth: A literature review and recommendations. Journal of Primary Prevention, 20: 1, 3-50.
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Shope, J., Copeland, L., Kamp, M. &; Lang, S. (1998). Twelfth grade follow-up on the effectiveness of a middle school-based substance abuse prevention program. Journal of Drug Education, 28: 3, 185–197.
Smyth, N. &; Saulnier, C. (1996). Substance abuse prevention among high risk youth, Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community 14: 1-2, 61–79.
Sussman, S., Dent, C. &; Galaif, E. (1997). The correlates of substance abuse and dependence among adolescents at high risk for drug abuse. Journal of Substance Abuse, 9, 241–255.
Tafoya, T. (1982). Coyote's eyes: Native cognition styles. Journal of American Indian Education, 21: 2, 21-33.
Tobler, N.S. (1992). Drug prevention programs can work: Research findings. Journal of Addictive Diseases. 11: 3, 1–28.
Von Franz, M-L. (1996). An interpretation of fairy tales. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Werner, E. and Smith, R. (1982). Vulnerable but invincible: A study of resilient children New York: McGraw Hill Book Co.
Yuen, F. &; Pardeck, J. (1998). Effective strategies for preventing substance abuse among children and adolescents. Early Child Development and Care, 145, 119–131.
Zoja, L. (1984). Addiction as an unconscious attempt towards initiation. Analytische Psychologic. 15: 3, 137–157.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nelson, A., Arthur, B. Storytelling for Empowerment: Decreasing At-Risk Youth's Alcohol and Marijuana Use. The Journal of Primary Prevention 24, 169–180 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025944412465
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025944412465