Steps Towards Alcohol Misuse Prevention Programme (STAMPP): a school-based and community-based cluster randomised...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Substance Abuse Prevention

Background:

• Adolescent heavy episodic drinking (HED) and alcohol-related harms (ARHs) are significant public health concerns.
• Early intervention programs are crucial for mitigating long-term negative consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Steps Towards Alcohol Misuse Prevention Programme (STAMPP), a combined classroom and parental intervention, in reducing HED and ARHs among adolescents.
• To compare STAMPP with standard alcohol education (EAN).

Main Methods:

• A cluster randomized controlled trial involving 105 high schools in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
• Participants were adolescents aged 11-12 years at baseline.
• Outcomes included self-reported HED and ARHs, assessed over 33 months using logistic and negative binomial regression models.

Main Results:

• Fewer students in the STAMPP group reported HED compared to the EAN group (17% vs. 26%; OR=0.60).
• No significant difference was observed in the number of self-reported ARHs between the groups (IRR=0.92).
• The classroom component was delivered as intended, but parental component uptake was low.

Conclusions:

• STAMPP demonstrates potential as an effective program for reducing adolescent HED prevalence.
• While ARHs did not significantly decrease, further follow-up may reveal later effects.
• Low parental engagement may impact the overall effectiveness of combined interventions.