NCJ Number
189952
Journal
Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2001 Pages: 243-260
Date Published
August 2001
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The project described in this paper was commissioned by the Central Drug Prevention Unit (now the Drug Prevention Advisory Service) of the British Home Office to develop a written drug information resource for children, and from this to develop a model of good practice.
Abstract
The research was conducted in three stages. The first stage involved a needs assessment of children, parents, and teachers, as well as a review of the literature. The second stage consisted of the development and design of resources based on the findings of the first stage. The third stage involved the pilot use of the material and the obtaining of feedback from children, teachers, and parents. The findings from the first stage resulted in a decision to focus on drug use and skill enhancement rather than the provision of factual information about drugs. A "do-it-yourself" booklet was developed for the pilot stage. The booklet provided a starting point for children to examine their own attitudes and perceptions about drug use and avoided being judgmental in its approach. The sequential nature of the booklet enabled children to follow the consequences of their choices for action. This resource encouraged children to consider practical ways of dealing with bullying and peer influence and allowed them to rehearse situations in preparation for real life. The study did not allow for follow-up to determine whether skills were practiced in real life and resulted in either a reduction in drug use or safer use. A longer term study would be required to determine such effects. 10 figures and 44 references