'Klar bleiben': a school-based alcohol prevention programme for German adolescents-study protocol for a cluster...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Substance Abuse Prevention

Background:

• Adolescent hazardous alcohol use is increasing, leading to adverse consequences.
• In Germany, up to 30% of adolescents engage in regular heavy episodic drinking.
• Few prevention programs target adolescents aged 16 and above in Germany.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop, implement, and evaluate "Klar bleiben" (Stay clearheaded), a school-based prevention program.
• To reduce hazardous drinking and alcohol-related consequences in 10th-grade students.
• To address a gap in current alcohol prevention strategies for adolescents in Germany.

Main Methods:

• A two-armed cluster randomized controlled trial involving approximately 3000 students across 150 classes in two German federal states.
• The intervention group (75 classes) will participate in the "Klar bleiben" program, while the control group (75 classes) receives standard education.
• The program utilizes a social norms approach, incorporating a 9-week class commitment to responsible drinking, educational lessons, and involvement of teachers and parents.

Main Results:

• The study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the "Klar bleiben" program in reducing hazardous alcohol consumption and related consequences.
• Secondary outcomes include changes in general drinking behavior, use of other substances, alcohol-related cognitions, and social factors.
• Data will be collected at baseline and 6 months post-intervention.

Conclusions:

• "Klar bleiben" offers a multicomponent, school-based approach to adolescent alcohol prevention.
• The program's social norms approach and class-level interventions have shown success in similar prevention programs for other substances.
• Findings will be disseminated through publications and conferences, with potential for wider implementation in other German federal states.