The purpose of this study is to replicate a longitudinal evaluation of Project ALERT, a substance abuse prevention program that targets middle school students.
Project ALERT is a substance abuse prevention program that targets middle school students. The purposes of this evaluation are to test its immediate and one-year effectiveness in a randomized experimental design that will span a total of 2.5 years for each of two cohorts. The cohorts are spaced one year apart to reduce our implementation and data collection burdens at any one time. The design for the two cohorts is identical. In schools randomly assigned to the treatment group, instructors receive Project ALERT training and materials prior to beginning the program and have access to technical assistance on request. In schools randomly assigned to the control group, teachers implement whatever substance abuse prevention curricula they normally would (if any).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
8,338
Project ALERT (Adolescent Learning Experiences in Resistance Training) is a drug prevention curriculum designed for middle-school students (11 to 14 years old). The 11 lessons in the first year and 3 booster lessons in the second year focus on alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and inhalants - the substances that adolescents are most likely to use. Project ALERT uses participatory activities and videos to help motivate youth to avoid drug use, to teach youth skills and strategies to resist peer pressures to use drugs, and to establish social norms against drug-use. More information about Project ALERT may be found at http://www.projectalert.best.org/.
Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Self-reported 30-day Use of Alcohol
Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had used alcohol in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.
Time frame: measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed
Self-reported 30-day Use of Cigarettes
Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had smoked cigarettes in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.
Time frame: measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed
Self-reported 30-day Marijuana Use
Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had used marijuana in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.
Time frame: measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed
Self-reported 30-day Inhalant Use
Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had used inhalants in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.
Time frame: measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed
Self-reported Lifetime Alcohol Use
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Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever used alcohol (yes or no).
Time frame: measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed
Self-reported Lifetime Cigarette Use
Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever smoked cigarettes (yes or no).
Time frame: measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed
Self-reported Lifetime Marijuana Use
Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever used marijuana (yes or no).
Time frame: measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed
Self-reported Lifetime Inhalant Use
Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever used inhalants (yes or no).
Time frame: measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed