Authors: R.Dukes, S. Matthews 

Methodology: 9th grade students were surveyed in school districts in the Colorado Springs area. Most of these students had the core D.A.R.E. program as 6th graders, while non-D.A.R.E. students in a nearby school district were utilized as the control group. Within the D.A.R.E. group, an assumption was tested that the more a student values a program, the more effective it will be.  

Findings: Among the various drug education programs in the district, students rated D.A.R.E. the most valuable. Statistically significant differences were found between students who rated D.A.R.E. as quite valuable, as compared to students who did not have D.A.R.E. In categories testing for use of alcohol and tobacco, the minority of students who thought D.A.R.E. was not valuable reported earlier onset of using these substances. D.A.R.E. led to high self-esteem, which in turn led to resistance to peer pressure. Resistance to peer pressure led to delay in the onset of experimentation which in turn led to less use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.