Internet-based drug prevention program also reduces truancy, psychological distress and disengagement
September 2014
Citation:
Newton, N. C., Andrews, G., Champion, K. E., & Teesson, M. (2014). Universal Internet-based prevention for alcohol and cannabis use reduces truancy, psychological distress and moral disengagement: A cluster randomised controlled trial. Preventive Medicine, 65, 109-115. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.05.003.
Climate Schools, a universal internet-based drug prevention program, has been shown to reduce alcohol and cannabis use among students given the intervention. The aim of this study was to examine if this program could also reduce risk-factors associated with substance use in adolescents.
The internet-based Climate Schools: Alcohol and Cannabis course consists of two sets of six lessons delivered approximately six months apart.
A total of 764 students (mean age 13.1 years) from 10 secondary schools were randomly allocated to receive the preventive intervention (delivered to 397 students at five schools), or their usual health classes (367 students at five schools) over the year. Participants were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and six and 12 months following the intervention on their levels of truancy, psychological distress and moral disengagement.
Compared to the control group, students in the intervention group showed significant reductions in truancy, psychological distress and moral disengagement up to 12 months following completion of the intervention.
These intervention effects indicate that Internet-based interventions designed to prevent alcohol and cannabis use can concurrently reduce risk-factors associated with substance use in adolescents.
View paper:
