Lessons from Prevention Research

With more than two decades’ worth of research data to mine for trends and suggestions, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has identified a series of principles to guide family, school, and community-based efforts to fight drug abuse.

Following extensive testing, NIDA-sponsored researchers have found the following practices and philosophies to be among the best means for reducing substance abuse:

Enhance Protection, Reduce Risk

• Enhance protective factors by instituting programs that emphasize the development of strong, positive bonds within families. Examples of behaviors to be encouraged include parental monitoring, the establishment and consistent enforcement of conduct standards, the regular involvement of parents in the lives of their children, and incentives for academic success. Family members should also be encouraged to participate in positive groups and institutions such as community associations, school clubs, and religious organizations.
• To reduce risk factors, lessen chaos-inducing situations such as parental substance abuse, domestic violence, and ineffective parenting. Children with conduct disorders or who display aggressive behaviors need to have access to effective professional intervention, as do those who overly withdrawn, are failing in school, or who appear to be unable to socialize appropriately with peers.

Provide Tangible Skills

• Focus on the provision of real-life drug-resistance skills, such as how to say “no,” how to develop healthy self-respect, and how to build and maintain healthy and positive interpersonal relationships.
• Include developmentally appropriate opportunities for positive interactions, such as peer-based discussions and group problem-solving exercises.
• Lessen (or eliminate altogether) a reliance upon lectures and other didactic instructional techniques to impart drug-resistance messages to children, adolescents, and teenagers.

Include Parents & Other Caregivers

• Train responsible adults to teach and reinforce what children are learning about the harmful effects of illicit drugs, and the reasons (and ways) for avoiding these substances.
• Encourage family discussions about proper conduct, the dangers of substance abuse, and the ramifications of ignoring family rules related to drugs and alcohol.

Focus on Long-Term Intervention Efforts

• Effective drug-resistance efforts should incorporate children across the educational spectrum (elementary through high school), and should include repeated and varied approaches.
• Instruction and interventions should be conducted in means best suited for the developmental capabilities of the targeted age group.
• Family and school-based efforts should incorporate existing media campaigns in order to promote a consistent message and provide for ongoing reinforcement.

Reach Out to All Populations

• School-based prevention programs should address all students (high achievers, potential dropouts, learning and developmentally disabled, etc.)
• School- and community-based efforts should be age-appropriate, inclusive, and culturally respectful.
• The level of intensity within each outreach effort should be proportional to the risk embodied within the target audience.

The following four considerations should be given highest attention during the development of drug education and resistance programs:

1. Family Relationships – Through the development of improved communication, enhanced discipline, and better overall parenting skills, prevention programs can strengthen families and increase their ability to remain resistant to problems related to alcohol and other drugs. By encouraging (and enabling) parents to take more active, positive roles in their children’s lives, these programs can greatly improve the odds that the children will lead healthier, drug-free lives.
2. Peer Relationships – By teaching children how to become more socially competent, prevention programs can equip them to resist pressures and enticements from within their peer groups. Young people who become health participants in positive peer environments are less likely to succumb to the siren song of alcohol and other drugs – and are more likely to resist the urge to experiment with substances should they be confronted by the opportunity.
3. School Environment – Programs that strengthen participants’ bonds with their schools – and which help them to perform better have a more satisfying academic experience – are more likely to be successful. Planners should be sure to include dropout prevention, misperception correction, and socially normative components to school-based programs.
4. Community Environment – Successful community-based programs incorporate civic groups, religious organizations, law enforcement agencies, and governmental bodies to enhance the message and ensure its widest impact. From media campaigns and community-wide awareness programs through the passage of new laws and regulations, a program with maximum participation is best positioned for success