Good Practices On Drug Abuse Prevention Among Youth A UNODC Training Workshop, 7 – 10 May 2007, Ramallah Session 5 Lifeskills education: evidence and good

Good Practices On Drug Abuse Prevention Among YouthGood Practices On Drug Abuse Prevention Among YouthA UNODC Training Workshop, 7 – 10 May 2007, RamallahA UNODC Training Workshop, 7 – 10 May 2007, Ramallah

Session 5Session 5

Lifeskills education: Lifeskills education: evidence and evidence and good practicesgood practices

Preventing drug abuse among youth • Preventing drug abuse among youth • A UNODC Training WorkshopA UNODC Training Workshop

Why life skills education?Why life skills education?

Cochrane collaboration 2005Cochrane collaboration 2005A meta-analysis of 32 studies of A meta-analysis of 32 studies of different school based different school based programmes;programmes;

Methodology had to be rigorous Methodology had to be rigorous and include a control group (e.g. and include a control group (e.g. Randomised Control Trial).Randomised Control Trial).


Continued …Continued …

Results:Results: Programmes based on lifeskills are the Programmes based on lifeskills are the

most effective in reducing drug use;most effective in reducing drug use;

If implemented properly they will If implemented properly they will prevent 20% of initiations; prevent 20% of initiations;

No other kind of prevention activities No other kind of prevention activities has been studied and/or has been has been studied and/or has been demonstrated to be effective to the demonstrated to be effective to the same extent.same extent.


What makes good substance abuse education?What makes good substance abuse education?

Tobler, N.S. (2000), School-Tobler, N.S. (2000), School-Based Adolescent Drug Based Adolescent Drug Prevention Programs Prevention Programs

1998 Meta-Analysis of 207 1998 Meta-Analysis of 207 programmes.programmes.


What makes good drug abuse education?What makes good drug abuse education?

UNODC (2004), UNODC (2004), SCHOOLS School-SCHOOLS School-Based Education for Based Education for Drug Abuse Drug Abuse PreventionPrevention

Review of Review of international international literature.literature.

Meeting of youth, Meeting of youth, practitioners, practitioners, experts from all experts from all over the world.over the world.


Content appropriate to age and cultureContent appropriate to age and culture

Appropriate to the age of the youth.Appropriate to the age of the youth.

Starting from simple concepts and Starting from simple concepts and building and expanding on them. building and expanding on them.

In younger ages, you will include In younger ages, you will include basic health promotion concepts, on basic health promotion concepts, on which you will build in later ages.which you will build in later ages.

Culturally sensitive.Culturally sensitive.


Example of progression – Example of progression – Knowledge about health & substancesKnowledge about health & substances

3 to 7 7 to 10 11 to 13 14 to 16

What medicines are and what they are for.

Second hand smoke can be harmful.

Effects of substances on the body and health.

Effects of substances on health & the performance of tasks. Short- & long-term effects. Dependence. The law. All household products

can be harmful, including medicines.

Basic facts, incl. legal status, on substances.

School rules and the basic legal facts about substances.

How to keep safe, incl. basic road safety.

Bacteria and viruses affect health. How to reduce their spread through simple routines.

How to keep healthy and what influences health (incl. media).

Short- and long-term effects of food choices, lack of exercise, early sexual activity & pregnancy.

What is a healthy lifestyle (incl. nutrition & exercise).

The impact of media messages on health behaviour of individuals and society.


Not necessarily only substance abuseNot necessarily only substance abuse

Focusing on one or two specific Focusing on one or two specific risk/ problematic behaviours, risk/ problematic behaviours, e.g.: e.g.:

Tobacco, alcohol and other drugs; Tobacco, alcohol and other drugs; Healthy nutrition;Healthy nutrition;Sexual & reproductive health/ Sexual & reproductive health/ HIV/AIDS prevention;HIV/AIDS prevention;

Violence prevention.Violence prevention.


Knowledge, attitudes …Knowledge, attitudes …

Effects of substances, especially Effects of substances, especially short terms effects that are short terms effects that are important to the target group;important to the target group;

Correction of perception of Correction of perception of prevalence among peers.prevalence among peers.


… … & skills!& skills!

Resistance skillsResistance skills Addressing both internal (e.g. stress, Addressing both internal (e.g. stress,

anxiety) and external (peers, anxiety) and external (peers, advertising) pressures;advertising) pressures;

Personal and social skills:Personal and social skills: Communication & interpersonal skills;Communication & interpersonal skills; Goal setting, decision-making & critical Goal setting, decision-making & critical

thinking skills;thinking skills; Coping and self-management skills;Coping and self-management skills;

Media and advertisement literacy.Media and advertisement literacy.


Examples of content made specific to substance Examples of content made specific to substance abuse preventionabuse prevention

Knowledge Attitudes Communication & interpersonal

skills

Decision-making &

critical thinking skills

Coping & self-management

skills

Learn the short and long term effects of commonly used substances.

Respect for one's body and respect for others is more important that looking cool.

Observe and practise listening and showing understanding of the reasons a friend might choose to use drugs. Observe and practise suggesting alternatives in an appealing and convincing manner.

Observe and practise analysing advertisements directed towards young people to use tobacco or alcohol.

Observe and practise analysing what contributes to stress and exercising reducing stress through constructive activities (time management, meditation)

Learn how many (young) people are actually using (correct the perception that 'everybody's doing it'

Observe and practise resisting a friend's repeated request to smoke tobacco, without losing face or friends.

Observe and practise critically gathering information about the consequences of tobacco and alcohol use and weighing the consequences against common reasons young people give for using tobacco and alcohol.


Interactive methodologyInteractive methodology

An interactive methodology is An interactive methodology is the most effective.the most effective.

Tobler (2000):Tobler (2000):Non-interactive programmes Non-interactive programmes showed only a 4% reduction in showed only a 4% reduction in prevalence rate, while interactive prevalence rate, while interactive programmes showed a 21% programmes showed a 21% reduction in prevalence rate.reduction in prevalence rate.


Duration and intensityDuration and intensity

A typical programme will be rather intensive: e.g. A typical programme will be rather intensive: e.g. one session a week for four months. one session a week for four months.

Because interactive techniques are key, groups Because interactive techniques are key, groups cannot be too large (20-25 max).cannot be too large (20-25 max).

Booster sessions are a good idea.Booster sessions are a good idea.

A complete programme should start early and A complete programme should start early and accompany children and youth through adolescence. accompany children and youth through adolescence. Targeting key transitions (e.g. right before and after Targeting key transitions (e.g. right before and after the change from middle to high school) is a way to the change from middle to high school) is a way to focus. focus.


Who should deliver?Who should deliver?

Teachers and youth will be your Teachers and youth will be your first obvious choice, depending first obvious choice, depending on the age/ circumstances. on the age/ circumstances.

Youth workers, religious leaders, Youth workers, religious leaders, sport coaches have also been sport coaches have also been involved.involved.

Extensive training, support and Extensive training, support and monitoring of educators is key. monitoring of educators is key.


Who should be involved?Who should be involved?

Involving a range of stakeholders is key: Involving a range of stakeholders is key: Effective lifeskills education in school needs:Effective lifeskills education in school needs:

A healthy school (including safe water, basic A healthy school (including safe water, basic sanitation, nutrition)sanitation, nutrition)

A health promoting school policy developed A health promoting school policy developed with the involvement of the entire school with the involvement of the entire school community.community.

The same principle could be applied to any The same principle could be applied to any public setting (e.g. youth clubs, etc.)public setting (e.g. youth clubs, etc.)

Programmes that provide lifeskills education Programmes that provide lifeskills education for children and parenting skills education for for children and parenting skills education for their parents are more effective than one kind their parents are more effective than one kind of education on its own.of education on its own.


School-based policySchool-based policy

A clear policy about the use of substances A clear policy about the use of substances in the school and during school functions:in the school and during school functions:

Developed in advance;Developed in advance;

Developed with the collaboration of everyone Developed with the collaboration of everyone (teachers, staff, stundents, parents, law (teachers, staff, stundents, parents, law enforcement, health and social services);enforcement, health and social services);

Addressing the use of both legal and illegal Addressing the use of both legal and illegal substances by stundents and possibly teachers substances by stundents and possibly teachers and staff;and staff;

Clear action in case of an incidence of Clear action in case of an incidence of substance use, ALWAYS aimed at supporting, substance use, ALWAYS aimed at supporting, not punishing.not punishing.


MonitoringMonitoring

How many sessions? How often? Covering How many sessions? How often? Covering what?what?A frequent problem with drug education A frequent problem with drug education programmes is fidelity. programmes is fidelity.

How many participants? Age? Gender?How many participants? Age? Gender? Did anyone drop out? Why?Did anyone drop out? Why? What was the feedback of participants?What was the feedback of participants? What was the feedback of trainers?What was the feedback of trainers? Regular quality control and support by Regular quality control and support by

organising agency.organising agency.


Evaluation indicatorsEvaluation indicators

Assess education about what it Assess education about what it can do, i.e. educate, not about can do, i.e. educate, not about changing behaviours.changing behaviours.

Assess the change in knowledge, Assess the change in knowledge, attitudes and skills.attitudes and skills.

Change in attitudes is one of the Change in attitudes is one of the most reliable indicators of future most reliable indicators of future change in behaviour.change in behaviour.


Evaluation instruments & methodologiesEvaluation instruments & methodologies

Instruments exist, but they might need to Instruments exist, but they might need to be tested for your particular target group be tested for your particular target group and for this you might need expert advice. and for this you might need expert advice.

An alternative is a mixture of qualitative An alternative is a mixture of qualitative methods (e.g. observation, key informant methods (e.g. observation, key informant interviews and focus groups discussions interviews and focus groups discussions with teachers, parents and youth, with teachers, parents and youth, visual/drama exercises with youth) to visual/drama exercises with youth) to ascertain if and how the attitudes and the ascertain if and how the attitudes and the skills of youth have changed.skills of youth have changed.

Documents

Good Practices On Drug Abuse Prevention Among Youth A UNODC Training Workshop, 7 – 10 May 2007, Ramallah Session 5 Lifeskills education: evidence and good