NIDA Notes: Behavior Game Reduces Later Drug-Related Problems

A recent special issue in the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence highlights findings from three decades of research on the Good Behavior Game (GBG) and its impact on a variety of long term behavioral and mental health outcomes. Results include findings from three decades of developmental epidemiologically-based randomized field trials on the GBG, researching a host of behavioral and mental health outcomes. Papers report on:

  • behavioral, psychiatric and social outcomes
  • service use for problems with emotions, behavior or drugs
  • antisocial personality disorder and violent or criminal behaviors
  • suicidal ideation and attempts.

Select findings are summarized in the table (see link at right in the blue box).

This special issue also provides valuable methodological and statistical information about the use of randomized field trials in prevention research. Contributing authors include researchers and collaborators from Johns Hopkins University, the Oregon Social Learning Center, UCLA, University of Maryland, University of Miami and the University of South Florida, among others. Funding for the special issue was provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Contact
Megan Sambolt
Principal Researcher