Implementation and Process Evaluation of a Student "School-as-Community" Group: A Component of a School-Based Drug Abuse Prevention Program

Document Type

Article

Department

Community and Global Health (CGU)

Publication Date

2-1997

Disciplines

Community Health | Medicine and Health Sciences | Mental and Social Health | Substance Abuse and Addiction

Abstract

Little documentation exists regarding the functioning of formalized adolescent groups as drug abuse prevention agents. Two studies are described that were conducted at high schools whose students are at high risk for drug abuse. Twenty-one schools were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) standard care, (b) classroom drug abuse education only, or (c) classroom plus school-as-community. Results of the first study indicated that the school-as-community component—which involved weekly meetings and periodic events at seven schools—was implemented as planned, drug abused focused, and perceived as productive in discouraging drug abuse. In the second study, staff in the classroom plus school-as-community condition self- reported involvement in the greatest number of community activities across the school year, compared with staff from the other two conditions. These two studies support the feasibility of formalized groups of high-risk youth to promote drug-free events.

Rights Information

© 1997 SAGE Publications, Inc.

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