Can a prevention program be based on a philosophy that is not judgmental?
Dr. Pentz: Yes. In the context of school programs, peers are asked to generate both positive and negative consequences of drug abuse with a teacher or another peer facilitator by not making judgments. You always end up with a class who, on its own, generates more negative consequences to drug use than positive consequences. The whole exercise is conducted in the context of being nonjudgmental, meaning only the peers in their Socratic discussions develop their own conclusions about this issue. The same thing happens with the parents in the parent program. There has always been the issue of abstinence versus moderate use particularly regarding drinking. We do not give guidelines for that group. Parents have to make their own decisions with the schools. Dr. Dishion: I would agree. We work with higher risk families to set their own goals about what their intervention program goals should be. It very rarely works to come in with a standard intervention because people resist that. There have
