The present study evaluated a motivationally based, 4-session outpatient intervention for young substance abusers presenting for addiction treatment. Follow-up interviews were conducted 6 months after assessment on (a) clients who sought additional help (n = 22) and (b) clients who did not seek additional help (n = 28). Results indicated that (a) participating in an assessment and brief intervention was associated with reduced use and consequences and increased confidence in high-risk situations up to 6 months after entry into the program, and (b) clients who participated in additional treatment showed less of a decrease in substance-related consequences. These findings suggest that brief interventions can serve as either a stand-alone intervention for individuals who need short-term assistance or a first-step intervention for those with more specialized or long-term needs.

Objectives: To describe and discuss the challenges in evaluation of a participatory action research with street-involved youth. Methods: A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized for both process and outcome evaluations. Process evaluation methods included in-depth individual interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and session debriefing forms. Summative evaluation research included focus testing of the harm reduction video and a survey of video users. Findings: Members of the youth team reported favourably on the experience, citing friendship, skills development, fun, and pride of accomplishment among the key benefits of participation. Political tensions arose because of the focus on reducing harm from drug use rather than encouraging abstension. The heavy demands of participatory research and development, resource constraints and the priority given to product development in these kinds of projects necessarily precludes extensive youth participation in the design, implementation and analysis of additional evaluation research. Even when resources are directed towards evaluation, there is a tendency to focus on data collection, which may limit time and resources for data analysis. Finally, there is an inclination to focus on the product development rather than dissemination and impact of the product. Interpretation: Despite the challenges inherent in participatory action research and its evaluation, this project was regarded as an empowering experience by the street youth who participated in it. It is worthwhile to direct resources to evaluation which optimally gives proportional attention to data collection as well as data analysis, and focusses not only on product development but also on its dissemination and impact. La traduction du résumé se trouve à la fin de l'article.

Constructs of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) were used to predict dissemination of an addiction program among ninety-eight counselors. As part of a training workshop, ninety-eight participants completed a questionnaire that assessed TPB constructs (e.g., attitudes toward the program). At baseline, attitude and social norms predicted 56 percent of the variance in intention to adopt the program. At the six-month follow-up (n = 86), intention to adopt and perceived control predicted 19 percent of the variance in level of actual program use. The results lend support to the use of TPB and to the idea that research dissemination should attempt to influence attitude formation and social norms initially, and later in the adoption process it should focus on enhancing perceived control to increase motivation to adopt.

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