Can First and Second Grade Students Benefit From an Alcohol Use Prevention Program?

• NCJ Number: 219345
• Journal: Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: 2007 Pages: 89-107
• Author(s): Mary Lou Bell; Alison Padget; Tara Kelley-Baker; Raamses Rider
• Date Published: 2007
• Length: 19 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2003-DD-BX-1083
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA); MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study evaluated the effects on first and second graders of the Protecting You/Protecting Me (PY/PM) program, a classroom-based, alcohol-use prevention and vehicle safety program for elementary students from first through the fifth grades.

Abstract

The study found that compared to students from matched classes that did not participate in PY/PM, PY/PM students increased their knowledge of vehicle safety, media awareness, healthy growth and development, and the dangers of alcohol for youth. The study shows that even young children can benefit from an alcohol-use prevention program that is appropriately designed, implemented, and evaluated. Beginning in the first grade, PY/PM builds upon the previous year's lessons through the fifth grade. The lessons in each grade include the same basic topics, but become progressively more advanced. PY/PM was developed by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), with the ultimate goal of preventing the injury and death of children and youth due to the underage consumption of alcoholic beverages and riding in vehicles with impaired drivers. The lessons address brain development, the importance of protecting the brain, decisionmaking skills, and media literacy. Media awareness lessons teach children to distinguish the effects of alcohol portrayed in the media from the actual effects and dangers of alcohol use by youth. The vehicle safety lessons teach children how to protect themselves if they are ever in a car with an impaired driver. For the purposes of the evaluation, the researchers designed an instrument that addressed the children's developmental level. Survey items contained only one concept each, used familiar words, and were concise. The questions were read out loud twice by the survey administrator in order to compensate for varying levels of reading comprehension among the students. Students circled responses. 2 tables, 1 figure, and 53 references