Tools for drug and alcohol education: using decision worksheets in personal problem solving

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Addiction Research

Background:

• Poor decision-making strategies are linked to substance abuse and personal risk-taking behaviors.
• Effective decision-making skills are crucial for mitigating risks associated with alcohol consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of decision worksheets in improving decision-making strategies.
• To assess the utility of persuasive essays in evaluating decision-making training.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 42 university students divided into experimental and control groups.
• Participants analyzed alcohol-related decision-making scenarios.
• The experimental group utilized decision worksheets alongside scenarios, while the control group did not.
• Essays defending participants' ratings were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher scores in overall decision quality.
• Enhanced inclusion of feasibility, costs, and benefits was observed in the experimental group.
• Decision worksheets positively impacted measures of decision intensity.

Conclusions:

• Decision worksheets represent a promising tool for enhancing decision-making skills, particularly concerning alcohol-related choices.
• Persuasive essays serve as a valuable method for assessing and expanding the application of decision worksheets.