Prevention Education Effects on Fundamental Memory Processes Susan L. Ames 1 , Marvin Krank 2 , Jerry L. Grenard 1 , Steve Sussman 3 , and Alan W. Stacy 1 Abstract This study evaluated effects of a key session from a nationally recognized drug abuse prevention program on basic memory processes in 211 high-risk youth in Southern California. In a randomized, between-subject design, the authors manipulated assignment to a Myth and Denial program session and the time of assessment (immediate vs. 1-week delay). The authors exam- ined program decay effects on memory accessibility and judgment errors. Those participants exposed to the program session generated more myths and facts from the program than those in the control group, suggesting that even a single program session influenced students’ memory for program information and this was retained at least 1 week and detectable with indi- rect tests of memory accessibility. However, consistent with basic research 1 School of Community and Global Health, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, USA 2 University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 3 Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Prevention Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA Corresponding Author: Susan L. Ames, School of Community and Global Health, Claremont Graduate University, 675 Foothill Blvd, Ste. 310, Claremont, CA 91711, USA Email: susan.ames@cgu.edu Evaluation & the Health Professions 35(4) 416-439 ª The Author(s) 2012 Reprints and permission: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0163278712444287 http://ehp.sagepub.com at University of British Columbia Library on August 27, 2015 ehp.sagepub.com Downloaded from