An evaluation of the 4-H Health Rocks program: implications for program improvement

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Substance Abuse Prevention

Background:

• Youth are vulnerable to risky behaviors, including substance abuse.
• The National 4-H Council developed the Health Rocks program to address this issue.
• Effective prevention programs are crucial for adolescent well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Health Rocks substance abuse educational program.
• To assess changes in youth knowledge, beliefs/attitudes, skills, and behavioral intentions.
• To critically evaluate the program's assessment questionnaire.

Main Methods:

• A post-then-pre evaluation design was employed.
• The study involved middle school youth who completed 10 hours of instruction.
• Data were collected to measure changes in key outcome areas.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant increases were observed in youth knowledge.
• Participants showed significant improvements in beliefs/attitudes towards healthy choices.
• Skills and behavioral intentions related to substance abuse prevention also significantly increased.

Conclusions:

• The Health Rocks program demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing youth knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behavioral intentions.
• The program shows promise as an intervention for substance abuse prevention in middle school youth.
• Recommendations were made for refining the evaluation questionnaire for future use.