The Retrospective Pretest: An Alternative Approach in Evaluating Drug Prevention Programs

Two self-report techniques assessed student behaviors before and after a life-skills substance abuse prevention program, targeted at seventh graders in an inner-city elementary school. The retrospective pretest/posttest technique demonstrated no significant changes in drug usage, while a traditional pretest/posttest indicated significant increases in tobacco usage. The findings of this study support the continued use and research on the retrospective pretest, particularly as they relate to tobacco usage. Given participants' inhibitions to self-report deviance, inclusion of this technique can provide a more complete assessment of prevention programs.