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Chapter 20The Role of Preventive Interventionsin Enhancing NeurocognitiveFunctioning and PromotingCompetence in AdolescenceMark T. Greenberg, Nathaniel R. Riggs, and Clancy BlairSerious physical, psychological, and social costs accompany the development ofchild conduct problems including increased risk for social and educational failure(Lahey, Loeber, Quay, Frick, & Grimm, 1997), adolescent depression andsuicidality (Anderson & Smith, 2003), as well as early alcohol, illegal drug, andtobacco use (Galaif, Hser, Grella, & Joshi; 2001; White, Xie, Thompson, Loeber,Stouthamer-Loeber, 2001). Consequently, preventive interventions have beendeveloped as one strategy to decrease the incidence of childhood and adolescentmental health problems and early substance initiation (Drug Strategies, 1998;Greenberg, Domitrovich, & Bumbarger, 1999; U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services, 1999).Researchers’ capacities to develop interventions that can decrease the incidenceof problem behavior and increase positive functioning are dependent, at least inpart, on an understanding of the multiple, interacting processes that promotehealthy adolescence development. Developmental processes, at both the behavioraland neurobiological level, are further embedded in influences (Bronfenbrenner,1977) that reside at the levels of individuals, peers, families, schools, andcommunities (Hawkins & Catalano, 1992; Masten, 2004; Steinberg et al., in press).Understanding these transactional processes between youth capacities and family,school, and community contexts during the prolonged period of adolescencecan assist prevention scientists in constructing and implementing prevention and441