Bringing a Recovered Drugs Addict Into the Classroom to Warn Against Drug Use: Good Idea or Bad Idea?

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Health Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Many schools offer health interventions to prevent drug use among adolescents. However, reviews of effect studies show mixed results. A potential effective strategy for school health interventions are testimonials in the class room by recovered drugs-addicts, but to our knowledge, its effectiveness has not been studied. In our study, we compared four conditions in a two-wave 2*2 design (information lessons no/yes x recovered drug-addicts lesson no/yes). Both waves were answered by 965 students from 10 schools (average age is 14.5 years). Separately for cannabis and hard drugs, seven effect variables were measured: positive and negative consequences of use, attitude, intention to use, intention to use when friends use, curiosity, and awareness of the risk of addiction. Our results show that most effective is combining informative lessons with a lesson in which a testimonial is given by a recovered drugs-addict. The testimonial is the most essential ingredient that cannot be omitted.

Authors

• Bas van den Putte, U of Amsterdam, ASCoR

• Tessa Rutten, ASCOR, U of Amsterdam

• Gert-Jan de Bruijn, ASCOR, U of Amsterdam

• Anneke de Graaf, ASCOR, U of Amsterdam