Evaluation of the All Stars Program: Student and Teacher Factors That Influence Mediators of Substance Use

• NCJ Number: 194565
• Journal: Journal of Drug Education Volume: 31 Issue: 4 Dated: 2001 Pages: 385-397
• Author(s): Steven M. Giles; Nancy Grant Harrington; Melodie Fearnow-Kenney
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the relationship between students' perceptions of a problem behavior prevention program ("All Stars") and changes in the program variables.

Abstract

All Stars is a character-education/problem-behavior prevention program whose objective is to reduce adolescent drug use, violence, and premature sexual behavior. To achieve these goals, the All Stars curriculum is structured around four objectives: increasing students' beliefs about peer norms in relation to abstinence from sex, drugs, and violence; influencing students' perceptions about drug use, sex, and violence so they can understand how such behaviors may interfere with their preferred lifestyles; encouraging students to make a personal commitment to avoid sex, drugs, and violent behavior; and helping students become more socially bonded to positive friendship groups and social institutions. The curriculum targets sixth-grade and seventh-grade students, because this is the age when risky behaviors tend to increase. To be effective, teachers must use methods that facilitate student interaction. The All Stars program was implemented in eight middle schools in Lexington and Louisville, KY, In five of those schools, trained specialists taught the program; in another three schools, regular middle school teachers taught the program; another six schools participated in the study but did not use the All Stars program (control condition). Three factors -- program enjoyment, student engagement, and teacher relationship -- were used to predict changes in the four variables targeted by the All Stars program. Participants were 30 All Stars teachers and 1,092 sixth-grade and seventh-grade students who received the All Stars program. The evaluation found that student engagement was related to greater changes in student idealism, commitment, and bonding. Program enjoyment was related to positive changes in student idealism and normative beliefs. Teacher relationship had little impact on the program variables. Students who were taught All Stars by regular classroom teachers reported greater program enjoyment and student engagement than students taught by health education specialists. 2 tables and 28 references