Project Northland (OJJDP Model Program Guide)

Office of Justice Programs, Innovation - Partnerships – Safer Neighborhoods

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Serving Children, Families and Communities

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Project Northland

Intervention:

Project Northland is a school- and community-based, alcohol-use–prevention curriculum series that aims to prevent and reduce alcohol use and binge-drinking by middle and high school students. It aims to delay and moderate the onset of alcohol use, reduce use among youths who have already tried alcohol, and limit the number of alcohol-related problems experienced by young drinkers.

The program targets schoolchildren who are before and at the age of early alcohol initiation and offers them prevention and knowledge. The program also is concerned with parental and community awareness, with a particular emphasis on the commercial sale of alcohol to underage drinkers.

Project Northland is based on the social influences theory of behavior change and through its multiple components aims to intervene in both the supply and demand of alcohol to underage drinkers. The program involves intervention on the environmental influences in the community that may affect the availability, possibility, and acceptability of underage drinking.

The program consists of elements that target the student, the parents, and the community to provide a comprehensive environment for alcohol prevention. Project Northlands contains:

A social-behavioral classroom curriculum
Parent involvement and communication programs
Peer leadership in alcohol-free projects and activities
A community task force
Commercial outlet and community awareness campaigns
Classroom involvement in the legal and social consequences and community responsibilities of underage alcohol use

While the classroom curricula concentrate on developing the participants’ knowledge of the consequences of alcohol use, the parent intervention provides parents with information and advice on how to communicate with their children about underage alcohol use. Project Northland also contains an important community element, encouraging students to develop and propose alcohol-free and alternative activities for their peers and emphasizing community organization of the participants. This aims to create awareness throughout the school district of the dangers of alcohol use and also targets commercial premises, encouraging merchants to refuse to sell alcohol to underage buyers.

These elements of the program can be implemented in grades 6 through 9 and repeated with greater depth in grades 11 through 12 in the final years of high school.

Evaluation Methodology:

Study 1
The 2002 Perry and colleagues study reports the long-term effects of Project Northland implemented in rural Minnesota. The study randomized 24 school districts into a treatment and a delayed program control condition in 1991, where they remained until 1998. This study sample is the class of 1998 and examines the long-term outcomes of the intervention. The treatment group consisted of 1,401 students, and the control group consisted of 1,549 students, with data collected at baseline in 1991 in the sixth grade and each spring of each year, from 1992 to 1998. The program was implemented in two phases. The first was delivered during grades 6 to 8 from 1991 to 1999. It included a classroom social-behavioral component as well as parent, community, and peer involvement. A brief five-session intervention that was applied in ninth grade concentrated on issues of alcohol use and road safety, around the age when the cohort would be eligible to drive. The second phase was implemented in grades 11 and 12, which made use of classroom curricula on the consequences and legality of teen alcohol use, material for parents to use in communicating with children about alcohol, print media circulated to commercial alcohol vendors in the school district, and community organizing campaigns promoting alcohol-free activities and reducing access to alcohol for high school students. The control schools were offered treatment on a delayed basis, with the first phase of the intervention in 1994 to 1997 and the second phase in 1998 to 2000.

The sample was 53 percent male, 93 percent white, and 5 percent American Indian. While the number of surveys completed was associated with baseline drinking (higher drinking linked to fewer completed surveys), this did not differ by treatment condition. Additionally, survey completion numbers were higher for whites than for nonwhites, though this association also did not differ by treatment condition. The surveys used a Tendency to Use Alcohol Scale, assessment of binge drinking based on the Monitoring the Future Study, and measures for peer influence, self-efficacy, and perceived access to alcohol. To assess the community action efforts to reduce commercial availability of alcohol to high school students, measurements were taken of the success rate of alcohol purchase attempts by young-appearing buyers. Telephone surveys were conducted with parents at grade 10 (n= 2,048) and grade 12 (n= 1,793) covering their acceptance of underage drinking, permissive norms, and opposition to alcohol-control policies and parental monitoring.

Data from the study was assessed using growth-curve analysis, a technique that identifies the patterns of changes over time and tests whether these patterns differ among treatment groups (or other subgroups). The study employed mixed-effects linear regression for repeated measures, using multilevel modeling of individual, school district, and treatment condition trajectories of alcohol use. Mixed-model regression analyses were used to analyze alcohol purchase attempts and the parent surveys.

Study 2
Komro and colleagues (2008) reviewed the outcome evidence of the impact of Project Northland implemented in an urban multiethnic setting in Chicago, Ill. (PNC), over 3 years. The study randomized neighborhoods as study units to either the intervention or the comparison ‘prevention as usual’ condition. The PNC intervention was designed to be implemented consecutively in the autumn of sixth to eighth grades. Ten study units received the PNC intervention with 32 schools, and the 12 comparison units had 29 schools. Assessments were made at baseline in fall 2002 in the sixth grade, and at follow-up points at the end of every school year of treatment: in spring 2003 of sixth grade, in spring 2004 of seventh grade, and in spring 2005 of eighth grade. Because of missing data at some follow-up points, the number of participants in the PNC group (n= 2,501–2,538) and the control group (n= 3,079–3,147) varied. While 5,812 students completed at least one survey, 2,373 students completed all four. The study sample was 50 percent male, 43 percent African American, 23 percent Hispanic, 13 percent white, and 75 percent received free or reduced-price lunches, indicating a low socioeconomic status. Forty-seven percent lived with both their parents, and 74 percent reported English as the primary language in the home. There were no statistically significant demographic differences between the treatment and comparison groups.

The study was interested in the alcohol and drug use outcomes of adolescents, but it also assessed parents, community leaders and commercial access to alcohol by underage drinkers. The study administered a student questionnaire assessing youth alcohol and drug use, behaviors and attitudes, parent and community leader surveys, and alcohol purchase attempts (using women at least 21 years old whom a panel judged to be younger appearing—i.e., underage).

Data was analyzed using mixed-effects regression models for the repeated measures testing for differences between intervention groups. Mean trajectories were modeled for each student, unit, and study condition (taking into consideration their internal variations—that is, across time, across students, and across units respectively) to perform the growth curve analysis. Analysis of parent and community leader surveys used mixed-model analyses of variance (ANOVA).

Evaluation Outcome:

While the original Project Northland that was developed in a rural setting showed strong evidence that indicated program effectiveness (study 1), later adaptations of Project Northland in an urban multiethnic setting showed no effects on the targeted population (see study 2). The evidence base suggests that this program may not be appropriate for implementation in all setting types.

Study 1
Alcohol Use and Binge Drinking
Perry and colleagues (2002) found that the trend data showed a significantly lower increase in alcohol use in the treatment group compared with the control group, using both the Tendency to Use Alcohol Scale and binge drinking. The growth-curve analysis revealed a 33 percent reduction in the usual increase of alcohol use and intention to use in the treatment group. It also showed a 50 percent reduction in the usual increase of binge drinking during high school in the treatment group, compared with the control group.

Community Attitudes to Underage Drinking
Though there were no significant differences in buy rates at baseline or in 1994, at the end of the intervention the study found significantly fewer successful purchase rates of alcohol by young-appearing buyers in the treatment group, compared with the control communities. The successful sales to young-appearing buyers were 46 percent lower in all outlets and 81.7 percent lower in off-sale outlets in treatment communities, compared with control communities.

Study 2
Substance Use and Attitudes
Komro and colleagues (2008) found that, though the comparison group had a relatively higher alcohol use at baseline, there were no significant differences in the growth rates of alcohol or drug use between the treatment and comparison groups over the 3 follow-up periods. Similarly, there were no significant differences in alcohol intentions or attitudes toward alcohol in the treatment and comparison groups at any follow-up point. An examination of the effects of exposure on outcomes showed that higher participation in the ‘at home’ section of the program was significantly associated with lower drug rate outcomes; however, no other outcomes or program sections showed significant associations.

Commercial, Community, and Parental Attitudes
There were no significant differences in the alcohol purchase rates of young-appearing buyers in either the treatment or comparison neighborhoods. The trend of purchases showed fewer successful purchases in treatment neighborhoods, but this result was not significant. Additionally, the results from the community leader and parent surveys showed no significant difference between treatment conditions.

Other Information:

References:

Fulkerson, Jayne A., Keryn E. Pasch, Cheryl L. Perry, and Kelli A. Komro. 2008. “Relationships Between Alcohol-Related Informal Social Control, Parental Monitoring, and Adolescent Problem Behaviors Among Racially Diverse Urban Youth.” Journal of Community Health 33:425–33.

Komro, Kelli A., Cheryl L. Perry, Sara Veblen–Mortenson, Kian Farbakhsh, Traci L. Toomey, Melissa H. Stigler, Rhonda Jones–Webb, Kari C. Kugler, Keryn E. Pasch, and Carolyn L. Williams. 2008. “Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Multicomponent Alcohol Use Preventive Intervention for Urban Youth: Project Northland Chicago.” Addiction 103(4):606–18.

Perry, C. L., C. L. Williams, S. Veblen-Mortenson, T. Toomey, K. A. Komro, P. S. Anstine, P. G. McGovern, J. R. Finnegan, J. L. Forster, A. C. Wagenaar and M. Wolfson. 1996. “Project Northland: Outcomes of a Community-Wide Alcohol Use Prevention Program During Early Adolescence.” American Journal of Public Health 86(7):956–65.

Perry, Cheryl L., Carolyn L. Williams, Kelli A. Komro, and Sara Veblen–Mortenson. 2002. “Community Action to Reduce High School Adolescent Alcohol Use.” The Prevention Researcher 9(3):12–16.

Perry, Cheryl L., Carolyn L. Williams, Kelli A. Komro, Sara Veblen–Mortenson, Jean L. Forster, Randi Bernstein–Lachter, Lara K. Pratt, Bonnie Dudovitz, Karen A. Munson, Kian Farbakhsh, John Finnegan, and Paul McGovern. 2000. “Project Northland High School Interventions: Community Action to Reduce Adolescent Alcohol Use.” Health Education and Behavior 27(1):29–49.

Perry, Cheryl L., Carolyn L. Williams, Kelli A. Komro, Sara Veblen–Mortenson, Melissa H. Stigler, Karen A. Munson, Kian Farbakhsh, Resa M. Johnes, and Jean L. Forster. 2002. “Project Northland: Long-Term Outcomes of Community Action to Reduce Adolescent Alcohol Use.” Health Education Research 17(1):117–32.

Program Specification:

New Rating:

Promising

Re-reviewed Date:

June 2011

Program Type:

Alcohol and Drug Therapy / Education

Classroom Curricula

Ethnicity:

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

African American

Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

White

Gender:

Both

Age:

14 - 18

Target Settings:

Rural

Suburban

Urban

Tribal

Problem Behaviors:

Alcohol,Tobacco and Other Drug Use

Risk & Protective Factors:

Risk

Community

Availability of alcohol and other drugs

Individual

Favorable attitudes toward drug use/Early onset of AOD use/Alcohol and/or drug use

Peer

Peer alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drug use

Peer rejection

Protective

Community

Prosocial opportunities for participation / Availability of neighborhood resources

Individual

Self-efficacy

Social competencies and problem solving skills

Peer

Involvement with positive peer group activities

School

Opportunities for prosocial school involvement

Additional Information:

SAMHSA: NREPP

Department of Education

Status:

Program is NOT in operation at this time.

Performance Measures:

Suggested OJJDP Performance Measures for the Program Types(s):

Delinquency Prevention
Classroom Curricula
Logic Model: PDF
Performance Matrix:PDF
School Programs
Classroom Curricula
Logic Model: PDF
Performance Matrix:PDF

Contact Information:

Program Developer:
Ann Standing, National Education and Prevention Sales Manager
Hazelden Publishing and Educational Services
15251 Pleasant Valley Road
Center City, MN 55012–0176
Phone: 6512134030
Fax: 6512134793
Email: Click Here
Website: Click Here

Training & TA Provider:
Ann Standing, National Education and Prevention Sales Manager
Hazelden Publishing and Educational Services
15251 Pleasant Valley Road, Box 176
Center City, MN 55012–0176
Phone: 6512134030
Fax: 6512134793
Email: Click Here
Website: Click Here

Program Locations:
Judy Johnson
Lakeville Area Public Schools
18610 Ipava Avenue
Lakeville, MN 55044

Rona Cole
Los Angeles Unified School District
355 South Grand Avenue, 10th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Gelane Nelson
Dekalb County Board of Education
P.O. Box 997
Rainsville, AL 35986

Deb Baron
Pledge for Life Partnership
189 East Court, Suite 403
Kankakee, IL 60901