Peer-Led and Adult-Led School Drug Prevention: A Meta-Analytic Comparison

• NCJ Number: 196755
• Journal: Journal of Drug Education Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: 2002 Pages: 107-119
• Author(s): Pim Cuijpers Ph.D.
• Editor(s): Robert M. Huff M.P.H
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article contains the results of a meta-analysis of studies that compare drug prevention programs led by peers to the same programs led by adults to answer the suggestion of several studies that peer-led drug prevention programs are the more effective of the two methods.

Abstract

Because adolescents are especially influenced by the attitudes and behavior of the group to which they belong, this study sought to learn the best way to influence behavior through drug prevention programs. Twelve studies were identified in a systematic literature search, though their quality was not optimal and the interventions and target groups differed significantly among studies. Overall, peer-led programs were found to be at least as effective or more effective than adult-led interventions, with evidence of the superiority of peer-led drug prevention not being conclusive due to large differences between studies, with some indicating greater effects for peer-led programs and others indicating greater effects for adult-led programs. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the comparative effects of school-based peer-led and adult-led drug prevention programs, incorporating a pretest and a post-test measure of substance use, by calculating the mean effect sizes of all peer-led and all adult-led programs. Two tables show selected characteristics of studies comparing peer-led and adult-led school-based drug abuse prevention programs, and results of meta-analyses of standardized differences between peer-led and adult-led drug prevention programs. It was found that the effectiveness of a prevention program, whether peer-led or adult-led, was influenced by multiple factors, including the contents of the program, the number of sessions, the use of booster sessions, the age group, and the degree of interaction between students during the intervention. 2 Tables, 1 figure, 26 references