Abstract des Autors

A new model for substance abuse prevention for athletic teams is described. This model employs the concept of peer education but has each team elect members they regard as leaders to become the peer educators. These student athletes are then trained to work as internal resources for their respective teams. Their roles include serving as resources for teammates who may already suffer form AOD problems. An equally important role is as a prevention specialist in helping to arrange presentations on issues that are pertinent to a particular team. In order for this model to run effectively, certain elements must be built in from the outset. These include ongoing support from the athletic director, an AOD prevention professional to administer the program who is not directly connected to the athletic department, and anonymity and confidentiality for the athletes recruited as peer educators. Verf.-Referat