Program Profile: Across Ages

This is an intergenerational mentoring initiative designed to delay or reduce substance use by increasing the resiliency and protective factors of at-risk middle school youth. The program is rated Promising. The treatment group showed statistically significant improvements in school attendance; reactions to situations involving drug use; and attitudes toward school, the future, and elders, compared with the control group; however, there were no effects on overall well-being or substance use.

A Promising rating implies that implementing the program may result in the intended outcome(s).

Program Goal/Target Population

Across Ages is a mentoring initiative designed to increase the resiliency and protective factors of at-risk middle school youths through a comprehensive intergenerational approach. The overall goal is substance use prevention. At-risk youth generally come from neighborhoods characterized by poverty and high rates of substance use, drug-related crime, and unemployment.

Program Components

The basic concept of the program is to pair older adult volunteers (55 and older) with students (10 to 13 years old) to create a special bonding relationship. The project also uses community service activities, provides a classroom-based life skills curriculum, and offers parent-training workshops.

Mentors: Older mentors—by acting as advocates, challengers, nurturers, role models, and friends—help youth develop the awareness, self-confidence, and skills they need to abstain from drug use and overcome other obstacles. The mentor is expected to spend at least 4 hours each week with their assigned youth. Activities include working on homework or school projects, going to sports events or cultural activities, or selecting a community service activity to work on together. Mentors and mentees meet year round.

Community Service: The community service component focuses on interactions with frail elders. For instance, students are expected to make biweekly visits to nursing homes where they visit with residents for an hour. Students record their experiences in journals and share this information in class.

Classroom Curriculum: The classroom component is built on a Positive Youth Development curriculum, which promotes social competence. The curriculum teaches life and resistance skills through didactic instruction, videotapes, journals, role-playing, and homework assignments.

Parent Workshops: Events for parents, youth, and mentors are scheduled on weekends. To encourage participation, a meal and entertainment are usually provided. When possible, free transportation is provided. Mentors are also encouraged to maintain contact with parents through mail and phone calls.

Study 1

LoSciuto and colleagues (1996) evaluated the Across Ages program using a randomized pretest/posttest control group design. Pretest and posttest data were collected at the beginning and end of each academic year from 1991 through 1994. Each year the same three Philadelphia, Pa., urban middle schools participated in the program. Experimental and control groups were randomly selected from among the sixth grade classes whose teachers agreed to participate in the program. Classes were assigned to one of three groups: Group C was the control group and received no intervention; Group PS was an experimental group that participated in the classroom-based life skills curriculum, performed community service, and had parent workshops; and Group MPS participated in the classroom-based life skills curriculum, performed community service, had parent workshops, and received mentoring from older adults. The CrimeSolutions review of this study focused on the differences between Group MPS and the control group.

The evaluation research tested the hypothesis that students in the treatment groups would demonstrate more positive outcomes on the posttest than those in the control group and that the most multifaceted approach (MPS) would result in the most positive change. Instruments included measures of drug use; well-being; problem-solving efficacy; and attitudes toward school, elders, the future, and community service.

Of the 729 students completing the pretest, 562 also completed the posttest. The sample was 53 percent female, 52.2 percent African-American, 15.8 percent white, 9.1 percent Asian-American, 9.0 percent Hispanic, and 13.9 percent “other.” The three groups had no significant demographic differences at baseline, nor did they differ significantly on attrition (23 percent for Group C; 22 percent for Group PS, and 25 percent for Group MPS). Outcomes of interest included attitudes toward school, the future, and elders; overall well-being; reactions to situations involving drug use; frequency of substance use; and school attendance, which were measured at the end of every school year for 3 years. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to examine program effects. No subgroup analyses were conducted.

To implement the Across Ages program, a 2-day training plus follow-up technical assistance is recommended. The training can be conducted on-site for up to 25 people. The cost of the 2-day training is $1,000 per day, plus travel and per diem. Technical assistance costs $500 per day plus travel and per diem.

These sources were used in the development of the program profile:

These sources were used in the development of the program profile:

Following are CrimeSolutions-rated programs that are related to this practice:

Mentoring for Youth Development

This practice provides youth with a positive and consistent adult or older youth relationship to promote healthy youth development and social functioning and to reduce risk factors. The practice is rated Effective in reducing delinquency and improving educational outcomes; Promising in improving psychological outcomes and cognitive functioning; and No Effects in reducing substance use.

Evidence Ratings for Outcomes

	Crime & Delinquency - Multiple crime/offense types
	Education - Multiple education outcomes
	Mental Health & Behavioral Health - Psychological functioning
	Mental Health & Behavioral Health - Cognitive functioning
	Mental Health & Behavioral Health - Social functioning
	Drugs & Substance Abuse - Multiple substances

School-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs

Designed to foster the development of five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective, and behavioral competencies, in order to provide a foundation for better adjustment and academic performance in students, which can result in more positive social behaviors, fewer conduct problems, and less emotional distress. The practice was rated Effective in reducing students’ conduct problems and emotional stress.

Evidence Ratings for Outcomes

	Juvenile Problem & At-Risk Behaviors - Multiple juvenile problem/at-risk behaviors
	Mental Health & Behavioral Health - Internalizing behavior

Interactive Programs for Preventing Marijuana Use in Middle School Students

This practice consists of skill-building and interaction-based activities integrated into school-based programs for grades 6–8 that are aimed at preventing marijuana use among adolescents ages 12–14. This practice is rated Effective for preventing marijuana use.

Evidence Ratings for Outcomes

Drugs & Substance Abuse - Marijuana

Formal Mentoring to Prevent Youth Substance Use

This practice encompasses programs that provide youths with formal supportive relationships and various positive, community-based activities and experiences to reduce their need to use alcohol and/or drugs. The practice is rated Effective for reducing the likelihood of alcohol initiation and reducing the likelihood of drug use initiation.

Evidence Ratings for Outcomes

	Drugs & Substance Abuse - Alcohol
	Drugs & Substance Abuse - Multiple substances

Why might a practice's outcome ratings differ from the ratings of specific programs encompassed by that practice?