The Recruitment Process

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explored recruitment patterns, as well as factors that predicted these patterns, in a relationship-based substance abuse prevention intervention study, targeting inner-city African American adolescents living in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Of the 257 eligible participants, 38.5% (N = 99) enrolled in the project. It required a total of 559 contacts to enroll these participants, in addition to the 99 home visits that were conducted to secure baseline data. Results from hierarchical logistic regression analysis indicated that the youths' attitudes towards alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, as well as the parents' report of family conflict predicted ease of recruitment. Implications for recruitment strategies and future research are discussed.