The NARCONON™ drug education curriculum for high school students: A non-randomized, controlled prevention trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An estimated 13 million youths aged 12 to 17 become involved with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs annually. The number of 12- to 17-year olds abusing controlled prescription drugs increased an alarming 212 percent between 1992 and 2003. For many youths, substance abuse precedes academic and health problems including lower grades, higher truancy, drop out decisions, delayed or damaged physical, cognitive, and emotional development, or a variety of other costly consequences. For thirty years the Narconon program has worked with schools and community groups providing single educational modules aimed at supplementing existing classroom-based prevention activities. In 2004, Narconon International developed a multi-module, universal prevention curriculum for high school ages based on drug abuse etiology, program quality management data, prevention theory and best practices. We review the curriculum and its rationale and test its ability to change drug use behavior, perceptions of risk/benefits, and general knowledge.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>After informed parental consent, approximately 1000 Oklahoma and Hawai'i high school students completed a modified <it>Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Participant Outcome Measures for Discretionary Programs </it>survey at three testing points: baseline, one month later, and six month follow-up. Schools assigned to experimental conditions scheduled the Narconon curriculum between the baseline and one-month follow-up test; schools in control conditions received drug education after the six-month follow-up. Student responses were analyzed controlling for baseline differences using analysis of covariance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At six month follow-up, youths who received the Narconon drug education curriculum showed reduced drug use compared with controls across all drug categories tested. The strongest effects were seen in all tobacco products and cigarette frequency followed by marijuana. There were also significant reductions measured for alcohol and amphetamines. The program also produced changes in knowledge, attitudes and perception of risk.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The eight-module Narconon curriculum has thorough grounding in substance abuse etiology and prevention theory. Incorporating several historically successful prevention strategies this curriculum reduced drug use among youths.</p

Indian in the red: a reality or myth?

This booklet was published for the purpose of developing awareness and a more comprehensive understanding of the severity and complexity of the Native American drug problem. Myths and stereotypes have complicated the issues related to substance use and abuse and discussions and solutions have been largely stymied because of the lack of useful and comprehensive research on the subject

Indian in the red: a reality or myth?

This booklet was published for the purpose of developing awareness and a more comprehensive understanding of the severity and complexity of the Native American drug problem. Myths and stereotypes have complicated the issues related to substance use and abuse and discussions and solutions have been largely stymied because of the lack of useful and comprehensive research on the subject

Intervention /

"MS450.""January 1993."Caption title: Prevention material for intervention.Cover title.Mode of access: Internet

How to start and run an alcohol and other drug information centre : a guide /

"Prepared by the Project Cork Resource Center and Substance Abuse Librarians and Information Specialists (SALIS) on behalf of United States Office for Substance Abuse Prevention and the World Health Organization (WHO)"--T.p. verso.Includes bibliographical references (p. 53-69).Mode of access: Internet