Gibbs (1986) designed the following chart to link prevention implications with the cognitive and social development

of children at various ages and grade levels: [A 60k gif version of this chart is available in case your browser does not support tables.] COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2-4 yrs. Preoperative Stage: magical thinking Preschool circularity difficulty dealing with more than 1 or 2 causes confuses physical and psychological causes of illness developing language skills 5-7 yrs. Family Preoperative School Stage: Kindergarten Neighborhood magical thinking circularity to First Grade difficulty dealing with more than 1 or 2 causes confuses physical and psychological causes of illness concrete mental operations AGE/GRADE KEY SYSTEMS Family SOCIAL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT IMPLICATIONS emphasis on self build self-esteem and oriented to pro-social parents development needs limits, supportive, secure environment developing motor skills

7-11 yrs. 2nd to 5th Grade

emphasis on self build self-esteem and identifies with pro-social own gender development enjoys group play involve parents in oriented to parent activities and knowledge of developmental stages positive parenting, setting limits, etc. emphasize positive caring interaction with others teach and practice health Family Concrete oriented to involve parents and School Operations: parents and teachers in prevention Neighborhood begins to think teachers activities (teaching Peers relationally and to enjoys group play drug ed, parenting generalize and peer programs, teacher begins and is relationship of training) capable of same gender use small groups to integrating several often competitive teach social skills, variables in causal or has difficulties democratic processes relationships with peers and cooperation begins and is able often awkward of teach and use to reverse causal effect of behavior cooperative team

relationships

on others impressed by older role models learns behavior from parents, peers, and role models more concerned about physical health effects than social more motivated by health promotion approach than causal information begins experimenting with licit drugs

12-16 yrs.

Family Peer Group Sixth to Tenth School Grade

Normal Mental Operations: capable of cognitive problem solving and decision-making ability to think abstractly and hypothetically integrates multiple factors in understanding illness

oriented to present rather than future preoccupied with self presentation, physical maturity, and acceptance by peer group initial sexual intimacy oriented to peers and role models more concerned with and motivated by social effects of drug use than physical seeks opportunities for independent more judgment

processes provide feedback on behavior use peer assistance and positive role models help parents understand modeling role in use of drugs and socialization tasks use curriculum that gives accurate information/decisionmaking and builds competency in social skills select curriculum that sequences first use drugs (alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana) parents guide children into nondrug using groups and activities use social inoculation learning life skills curriculum involving peer role models and teaching refusal skills use team learning team teaching methods in classes provide drug information decisionmaking program identify drug users and refer to intervention system resources promote peer leadership, peer assistance, peer counseling programs provide drug information decisionmaking program

16-18 yrs.

Peer Group School Work Eleventh to Twelth Grade Family Larger Community

differentiates taught by role models between self and in health, science or environment driving ed classes feels unsure and involve students in awkward in social changing drinking skills practice norms experimenting and using drugs Relativistic primary concern identify drug users Thinking: with individual and refer to capable of identity, financial intervention systems synthesizing wide independence, resources range of relational deepening sponsor youth material relationships, self- business ventures, exploration, community projects distancing from and drug-free family and making alternative activities own decisions implement curricula more concerned focused on the health, with psychological social, economic, and effects of drugs legal consequences of than physical or misuse and abuse social especially in relation oriented to peers to the concrete and role models situations teens face at this age, i.e., drinking and driving

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