Elements of Effective Substance Abuse Education Programs
Research has shown that drug abuse prevention curricula need to be comprehensive and have sufficient intensity in order to be effective. Elements of an effective curriculum include:
- Normative education to help students realize that using alcohol and drugs is not the norm for students.
- Social skills training to help students increase their verbal, decision making, and assertiveness skills.
- Information and training to help students recognize and develop the skills necessary to analyze the role of external pressures to use drugs (e.g., advertising, role models, peer attitudes).
- Information to help students understand the risks and short- and long-term consequences of drug use. Teens tend to be more concerned about social acceptance and the immediate rather than long-term effects of particular behaviors. Citing consequences such as stained teeth and bad breath has more impact than threats of lung cancer, which usually develops later in life.
- Training to help students refuse drugs effectively and still maintain friendships.
Programs are more effective when they are interactive, involving role-plays, simulations, small group activities, and class discussions.
Effective programs also support and encourage the development of protective factors, such as building positive relationship with caring adults, finding positive activities, achieving in school, setting goals, and associating with positive peer groups.
Teacher attitudes and school and classroom climate may also be preventive. Adults in schools need to model the social, decision-making, and communication skills taught in the curriculum. Setting high expectations, open and supportive communication, a value of caring and helping, and the creation of a positive environment may be as important as curricula.[1]
- Bosworth, K. (1997). Drug-Abuse Prevention: School-Based Strategies that Work. ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education, U.S. Dept. of Education