NCJ Number
240115
Date Published
2012
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This report presents the features and evaluation outcomes for the Project Toward No Drug Abuse (Project TND), which is an interactive program designed to prevent and reduce substance use among high school youth (ages 14-10).
Abstract
One of two evaluation studies found that 1 year after the intervention, participants reported significant reductions in hard-drug use compared with a control group of students, as well as reduction in alcohol use among students who reported alcohol use at pretest. No reductions in marijuana or tobacco use were found. Four-year to 5-year follow-up data in a second study found that those receiving the nine-session Project TND program reported long-term maintenance effects for 30-day hard-drug use. Compared with the control group, the intervention group that received the classroom-only intervention had less than half of last-month drug frequency. The intervention group that received both the classroom and community components reported approximately one-fifth the last-month drug-use frequency compared with the control group. The second evaluation study tested the effectiveness of two Project TND delivery modes (the use of health-educator instruction in the classroom and self-instruction classroom program). The students instructed by health educators performed much better than those participating in self-instruction. The self-instruction group did not result in any significant differences compared with the control group. Project TND consists of twelve 40- to 50-minute lessons that include motivational activities, social-skills training, and decisionmaking components that are delivered through group discussions, games, role-playing exercises, videos, and student worksheets over a 4-week period. The instruction provides cognitive motivation enhancement activities focusing on not using drugs, detailed information about the social and health consequences of drug use, and the correction of cognitive misperceptions. Topics addressed include active listening skills, effective communication skills, stress management, coping skills, tobacco-cessation techniques, and self-control. Evaluation methodologies are described. 22 references