Preventing Prescription Drug Abuse in Middle School Students

This project is designed to test a primary prevention approach to the problem of prescription drug misuse and abuse (PDA) among middle school students. The intervention uses both online e-learning and small group facilitator-led intervention modalities. Middle schools will be randomized to receive the intervention or serve as controls.

While there are a number of drug abuse prevention programs for middle school age youth, relatively few programs focus on preventing prescription drug abuse. Furthermore, due to growing constraints on classroom time, new evidence-based prevention programs are needed that flexibly incorporate the use of online digital technology and classroom/small-group components. The present study is developing and testing an adaptation of the evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention approach called Life Skills Training (LST). The proposed preventive intervention for middle school PDA will (1) utilize both online digital and face-to-face intervention modalities to address PDA and concurrent ATOD use; (2) positively change social norms and challenge positive expectancies regarding PDA and ATOD use; (3) discourage diversion of prescription medications; and (4) enhance protective factors by building social and self-regulation skills through interactive learning and behavioral rehearsal scenarios. Middle schools will be randomized into either an intervention group that will receive the new intervention or a treatment-as-usual control group that will receive existing health education programming. At the end of the intervention period, and at a 12-month follow-up assessments, we will compare both groups with respect to changes in behaviors, norms, attitudes, and knowledge regarding PDA and substance use.