| | Developmental stage | Age-appropriate substantive contents | Age-appropriate process examples | Example programs |
| | Young children (0–5 years old) | Attachment enhancement, parenting skills, social and self-control skills, emotional learning, decision making, academic preparation, resource acquisition, maybe simple drug consequences facts | Use of toys, nonverbal demonstration, recognition cards, extensive adult involvement, use of timeout | ICPS, NFP, Fast Track, PATHS, HALO |
| | Older children (6–11 years old) | Social and self-control skills, decision making, emotional learning, academic skills and commitment to school, behavioral management, parenting skills, media awareness, drug consequences | More verbal instruction, attribute-based similarity, rule posters and stickers, involvement with more adults outside the home | BrainTrain4Kids, PY/PM, Good Behavior Game, Caring School Community Program, KYB, KACM, CC/FSP, GGC, SSDP, LIFT, BBBSA, Smoke-free Kids |
| | Young teens (12–15 years old) | Drug prevalence overestimates reduction, normative restructuring, media literacy, refusal assertion, decision making, academic remediation, peer and family communication skills, public commitment, drug consequences | Classroom discussion, classroom peer group interaction, class polls, behavioral rehearsal, role play, homework, games, letter writing | LST, All Stars, Project ALERT, Lions Quest,Project TNT, SFP 10–14, Family Matters, CLFC |
| | Older teens (16–17 years old) | Motivation enhancement, stress-coping skills, self-control and communication skills, decision making and goal monitoring, vocational skills, resource acquisition, drug consequences, tobacco cessation | Talk shows, classroom discussion, peer group interaction, class polls, behavioral rehearsal, games, personal journaling, counseling | Project TND, RY, Project SUCCESS, ASPIRE |
| | Adults: emerging adults (18–25 years old) | Motivational interviewing/enhancement, coping strategies, problem solving, communication skills, drug consequences, “settling-down” material | More personalized and private, assessment, personalized feedback, counseling | BASICS, MyStudentBody |
| | Adults: young-to middle age adults (26–50 years old) | Coping skills, decision making, resource acquisition, grief work, motivational interviewing/enhancement, worksite-related issues | Personalized and private assessment and feedback, material covering more health domains (e.g., diet) | Healthy Workplace, CopingMatters |
| | Adults: older adults (51 years old and older) | Life perspectives, motivation enhancement, resource acquisition, coping skills, problem solving, social usefulness pursuits, medical supervision, multiple health domains, safe limits | Personalized feedback, presentations, group discussion, practice in functional capacity maintenance, use of larger fonts | Aging to Perfection |
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