Coverage of adolescent substance use prevention in state frameworks for health education

Ten secondary health education state curriculum frameworks were reviewed for their inclusion of 12 mediators commonly used to prevent adolescent substance use. Specific aims of the investigation were: a) to identify the extent to which the 12 mediators were found in each framework; and b) to identify those frameworks that included Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) sections and determine to what extent the 12 mediators were found in those sections. A panel of three researchers independently reviewed each framework. Beliefs about consequences, decision-making skills, and stress management skills were identified most often while commitment, lifestyle incongruence, and normative beliefs were identified least often. Among states that included ATOD sections, beliefs about consequences and resistance skills were the most commonly identified mediators. Commitment, goal setting, and normative beliefs were not identified in any ATOD sections. Research in prevention and implications for health education are discussed.