Penn State University

The College of Health and Human Development

The ALEXSA Project

Assessment of
Liability and
EXposure to
Substance use and
Antisocial behavior

What is the ALEXSA?

The ALEXSA

• Provides an assessment format to maximize the clarity of questions for elementary school-aged children
• Collects information on risk & protective factors in classrooms/research/clinics
• Provides psychometrically sound measures of problem behaviors and predictors of problem behaviors
• Maximizes the transfer of knowledge from science to practice and practice to science

What began as part of a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse has grown significantly on its own. The Assessment of Liability and EXposure to Substance use and Antisocial behavior (ALEXSA) originally was designed to measure 32 predictors of substance abuse. The ALEXSA initially was to be used in a study of how early initiation of tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, and other drugs develops in middle to late childhood. Since that time, the ALEXSA has been expanded to include approximately 150 measures of problem behavior risks and protectors as well as positive youth development measures.

The ALEXSA is in the process of being translated into three versions of Spanish (Mexican, Peruvian, and Puerto Rican). Since its psychometric testing, new measures have been added to assist researchers in their work with children. The ALEXSA also is being used in program evaluations of preventive interventions for children.

Download a brochure about the ALEXSA project.

The ALEXSA's Features

• Illustrated ACASI format
• No reading or writing skills required
• 16 screen formats/question types
• Database scoring system available
• 125 predictors of problem behavior
• Illustrations for boys and girls

The ALEXSA: Sample Questions

Download sample questions from the ALEXSA project.

ALEXSA Measures

• The ALEXSA Measures

Publications

• ALEXSA brochure (PDF)

Presentations

• Powerpoint presentation on the ALEXSA,

Prevention Research Center, 2005

[Presents reliability and validity data]

Feedback on the ALEXSA

For further information on the ALEXSA Project, contact:

Ty Ridenour

Prevention Research Center

Penn State

135 E. Nittany, Suite 402

State College, PA 16801

Phone: (814) 865-4122 

Fax: (814) 865-6004

Investigators

Ty Ridenour

Research Associate, Prevention Research Center

tar13@psu.edu

Linda Caldwell

Professor of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management

lindac@psu.edu

Ed Smith

Director of Evaluation Research, Prevention Research Center

eas8@psu.edu

Daniel Perkins

Associate Professor of Family and Youth Resiliency and Policy

dfp102@psu.edu