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Preventing adolescent drug abuse and high school dropout through an intensive school-based social network development
L L Eggert1, E A Thompson, J R Herting
1Psychosocial Nursing Department, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP
|December 9, 1993
Summary
The Personal Growth Class intervention improved school performance and reduced drug involvement issues in at-risk youth. This program demonstrated positive effects on GPA, school bonding, and self-esteem over a 10-month period.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent psychology
- Educational interventions
- Substance use research
Background:
- High school dropout rates and adolescent substance involvement pose significant public health challenges.
- Targeted interventions are needed to improve academic outcomes and reduce drug use among at-risk youth.
- Existing programs often lack comprehensive approaches addressing both academic and behavioral factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of the Personal Growth Class intervention on school performance and drug involvement in high-risk adolescents.
- To assess changes in academic achievement (GPA, attendance), drug use, self-esteem, and social bonding over a 10-month period.
- To determine if a structured, supportive, life-skills-based curriculum can positively impact adolescent development.
Main Methods:
- A two-group, repeated-measures intervention trial involving 259 high-risk high school students across four urban schools.
- The experimental group participated in a one-semester Personal Growth Class with a 1:12 teacher-student ratio, integrating group support and life-skills training.
- The control group followed a regular school schedule. School records and validated self-report scales (Drug Involvement Scale for Adolescents, High School Questionnaire) were used for data collection.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in trends over time were observed between groups for drug control problems, GPA, self-esteem, deviant peer bonding, and school bonding.
- The intervention group showed improvements in GPA and school bonding, alongside desired changes in self-esteem and reduced deviant peer bonding.
- While the program appeared to curb drug use progression, group differences in this area were not statistically significant, indicating less definitive effects.
Conclusions:
- The Personal Growth Class intervention demonstrated efficacy in enhancing school performance (GPA) and school bonding among at-risk adolescents.
- The program was particularly effective in decreasing drug control problems and adverse consequences related to substance use.
- While positive trends were noted for self-esteem and reduced deviant peer bonding, further research is needed to confirm effects on drug use progression.