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454 EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONSearlier, provides a model for such research. Further, although not directly examiningexecutive functions, Epstein, Griffin, and Botvin (2002) found that self-reportedchanges in decision-making skills served as a mediator for the delay in substanceabuse initiation in the teen years. One of the problems heretofore is the lack of integratedtheory and study design that includes both theoretical models and data collectionthat encompasses both neurocognitive and traditional measures.Given the central role of emotion regulation in problem behaviors, one approachwould be to teach and model social and emotional skills and decision making inthe context of hot emotions. From our standpoint, it would be hard to imagine anapplicable theory of action that does not take as important the ability to monitor,recognize, and label one’s affect as a central step in the process of interrupting animpulsive, risk-seeking chain of actions. Although it is not possible to actuallyteach these skills at the mall or a late-night party, more effective prevention curriculautilize role-playing of such contexts as a central component (Tobler ResearchAssociates, 1998). However, in most of these models, there is very littlefocus on the value of being mindful or self-reflective, or on the recognition andlabeling of one’s emotional state.Recently, there has been considerable interest in the concept of mindfulness.Mindfulness can be defined as paying attention moment to moment without judgmentto whatever is going on in the mind and in the body—including thoughts,physical sensations, and emotions. In other words, mindfulness means being awarewithout judgment (Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2001). With the considerable andgrowing interest in mindfulness research and intervention with adults (Davidsonet al., 2003; Teasdale, 2004), we believe that careful clinical trials of interventionsfocused on mindfulness training or the “potentiation of cognitive control”(Keating, 2004) are warranted. Carefully controlled research on mindfulness, aswell as some martial arts traditions and yoga, would create an exciting agendathat would provide a theory-based prevention model that would naturally lead toexamination of neural mediation.By actively promoting social-emotional and behavioral competence and mindfulnessat a time in children’s lives when their neurocognitive abilities are rapidlydeveloping and most influenced by environmental input, participation in preventiveinterventions might lead to commensurate increases in neurocognitive abilities,and in turn greatly influence the long-term prevention of adolescent riskand the promotion of health and competence. Preventive interventions that mayalter neural structure or function can best be seen as one of type of environmentalmanipulation that may influence socioemotional and cognitive competence(Greenough, Black, & Christopher, 1987).Although there is little research linking change in neurocognitive abilities specificallyto participation in prevention programs, some (Raine, 2002) argue thatpreventive interventions that target or attempt to reverse neurocognitive deficitsmay the most effective way to improve behavioral outcomes. There is a great deal