Purpose: This study examined whether brief intervention strategies founded on the Behavior-Image Model and addressing positive images of college and career success could be potentially efficacious in impacting multiple health habits of high-risk adolescents transitioning into adulthood.
Design: Participants were stratified by grade level and drug use and individually randomized to one of the three Plan for Success interventions, with baseline and 1 month postintervention data collections.
Setting: A large, relatively diverse suburban school in northeast Florida.
Subjects: A total of 375 11th and 12th grade students participated during the spring semester 2006.
Intervention: Three interventions studied included: (1) Goal Survey, (2) Goal Survey plus Contract, or (3) Goal Survey plus Consult.
Measures: Outcome measures included multiple health risk, health promotion, and personal development behaviors, as well as image and belief measures.
Analysis: Repeated-measures MANOVAs and ANOVAs were used to examine intervention effects.
Results: MANOVAs were significant for alcohol use, F(4,328) = 6.33, p = .001; marijuana use, F(4,317) = 3.72, p = .01; exercise, F(3,299 = 4.28, p = .01; college preparation, F(2,327) = 6.26, p = .001; and career preparation, F(2,329) = 6.17, p = .001, with most behaviors improving over time, whereas group-by-time interaction effects were found for nutrition habits, F(6,652) = 2.60, p = .02; and career preparation, F(4,658) = 3.26, p = .01, favoring the consultation.
Conclusion: Brief interventions founded on the Behavior-Image Model may have potential to improve selected health and personal development habits among older adolescents.