STAGE 5. Defining the action plan

What steps should be completed?

Step 1: Specify intervention actions

EDUCATIONAL (SCHOOL) INTERVENTIONS ON SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SKILLS AND SOCIAL INFLUENCE*

School programmes based on life skills training in (pre)adolescence employ interactive methods to facilitate learning of various social and personal skills, including coping with social pressures to use drugs (critically analysing social norms, attitudes and expectations around substance use) and correcting erroneous normative beliefs about the prevalence (often overestimated) of drug use in the peer group.   

Studies carried out in the USA, Europe and Australia, and also in Africa, Latin America and Asia, albeit with more variable results, indicate that some school programmes can prevent all kinds of substance abuse, even in the long term, extending their positive effects to reducing school drop-out and other problems. Programmes that produce these results all employ interactive methods to work on social and personal skills and analyse the social influences surrounding drug use (social norms, expectations, normative beliefs).

These interventions appear to be more effective when implemented in preadolescence or early adolescence than when students are older.

Programmes are usually run by suitably trained professionals (usually teachers), although remote interventions have also been run, with good results. Although these interventions are usually used as universal prevention, results are also positive when they are applied to at-risk groups.

The table below shows the characteristics associated with good or poor functioning (lack of effects or negative effects) of these interventions:

GOOD FUNCTIONING

POOR FUNCTIONING

Making use of interactive methods. Working on a wide range of skills, including decision-making and resistance to social pressure to use drugs. Including multiple structured sessions (usually 10 to 15) run weekly. Including revision sessions in subsequent years. Being applied by personnel trained for the purpose (professionals or even colleagues). Raising awareness of the risks and consequences associated with drug use, highlighting the most immediate. Correcting erroneous normative beliefs and false expectations about drug use.

Using passive learning methods, such as taught classes, talks and conferences. Only providing information about drugs. Resorting to fear to warn about the risks of using drugs. Using unstructured discussion formats. Focusing on self-esteem and/or emotional education. Only approaching decision-making from an ethical or moral perspective. Using former drug users as testimonials. Using police officers to implement the programme.

 

* Based on International Standards on Drug Use Prevention (UNODC):