Diversion Program
Drugs and the Media
Drugs and the Body
SAMHSA Evidence-Based Prevention Program
The Narconon Science-Based Truth About Drugs Program is a highly interactive program that is delivered in-person by Drug Educators Alliance. This is an exceptional evidence-based prevention curriculum. It’s state-of-the-art interactive approach takes drug education to a whole new level. Facilitation is broken down into 4, 1 hour in-person trainings providing you with a high quality education on the subject of drugs.
Independent Study Demonstrates Effectiveness
An independent study of the High School Curriculum measured reductions in drug use a full six months after completion of the drug education program and in every category of drug use tested. Statistically significant reductions were found for:
Cigarette smoking
Smokeless tobacco
Cigarette smoking
Binge Drinking
Marijuana use
Amphetamine use
Students also developed a heightened awareness of the adverse effects caused by drug abuse. Comments indicating that they would now never use drugs were common.
Decades of Experience and Development
To develop effective drug education, Narconon staff first had to address where past drug education efforts had failed. “Scare tactics,” fear, or reasoning by providing information alone never worked.
For over three decades, working with thousands of schools and several prevention models—everything from supplemental materials to customized live presentations and now complete, easy-to-implement curricula—Narconon staff refined an approach that speaks powerfully to youth and gives a realistic picture of drug misuse in their own language.
To accomplish this, they first asked youths to tell them what would work: They surveyed over 165,000 students to learn, from youths themselves, precisely how to influence youth regarding:
- decisions to stop using drugs (for those who had already used them)
- perceptions about drugs such as would change their mind from possibly trying or using drugs to a firm decision not to use them
- what might support and strengthen their decision not to use drugs (when they state they are already against them).
Social Influences a Key in Substance Abuse Prevention
What works is an approach that acknowledges and influences how youths make social decisions. Since the release of the first video The Truth About Drugs in 1995, Friends of Narconon has used the power of social influence to develop materials and curricula that prevent drug use among our youths before it starts.
As their understanding of what works has evolved, the program has also evolved from stand-alone videos to a full-fledged 8-session curriculum that incorporates true drug data and vital life skills tools into known-effective prevention factors.
The Narconon Truth About Drugs Program aligns with the US Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) core factors for drug prevention programs:
- Information and education about the drug problem–the TAD program covers the effects of drugs on the body, emotions and the mind, as well as how to recognize the more subtle ways drugs are glamorized in the media
- Interactive activities such as discussions, group sessions, parenting and family involvement, and peer leader programs outperform other methods–the TAD program includes small group drills and take-home practicals to be done with other students, parents and family members.
- Supplying appealing alternatives to drug use–the TAD program helps youth set realistic goals and take actual steps towards achieving them.
- Involving community volunteers and coalitions. Mentoring programs have been shown to reduce drug use and increase positive attitudes toward academics. In most communities, the school is an extension of the neighborhood, part of the prevention efforts and a teacher can be a valuable mentor to their students.
- Changing community attitudes and norms on drug use. Interventions that affect knowledge, attitudes, and norms based on the person’s interaction with the environment are effective. In particular, the Narconon Truth About Drugs Video program presents key drug data in a format that also develops social and life skills; methods known to increase prevention program effectiveness.
The war on drugs has been raging for decades and there is little sign of victory. Although youth are swamped with anti-drug messages, kids keep taking illegal drugs, the drugs are getting more dangerous, and the toll on individual health, disrupted families and communities is soaring. Therefore, since inception, the Narconon program has centered on educating youth using key principles from the humanitarian works of L. Ron Hubbard–principles supported in the scientific literature.
Lennox & Cecchini (2008)
Study Design Narrative
This study assigned 14 schools in Hawaii and Oklahoma to either the Truth About Drugs intervention group, or to a wait-list comparison group. Participants in the comparison group were assessed at baseline and then at 6 months following baseline. After the 6-month, follow-up assessment, children in the comparison group schools were offered the Truth About Drugs program.
Sample Description
A total of 958 students participated in the study. There were 435 students in the intervention group and 523 students int eh comparison group. Study participants ranged in age from 12 to 20 years. Approximately 51% of the students were male (n = 490). With regard to ethnicity/race, students were identified as white (n=435), African American (n=25), Asian (n=290), American Indian (n=90), Native Hawaiian (n=173), other Pacific Islander (n=73), Hispanic or Latino (n=53), Alaska Native (n=8), and other (n=44).
Implementation/Training and Technical Assistance Information
Since the program’s second edition was released in 2011, more than 1,000 high schools and 23 middle schools have implemented the program; more than 100 high schools and 9 middle schools report that they are still using it. Eight elementary schools requested the curriculum despite concerns about age-appropriateness, and one Boys and Girls Club has implemented it.
High School Prevention Trial
The NARCONON™ drug education curriculum for high school students: a non-randomized, controlled prevention trial. — Lennox R and Cecchini M. (2008) J. Sub Res Treat., 3:8
Abstract
Background
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.
Methods
After informed parental consent, approximately 1000 Oklahoma and Hawaii high school students completed a modified Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Participant Outcome Measures for Discretionary Programs 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.
Results
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.
Conclusions
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.
Summary of Findings
Last 30-day frequency of drug use was assessed for 22 different drugs using the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Participant Outcome Measures for Discretionary Programs. The findings measured statistically significant (p<0.05) reduction in substance use six months after completing the curriculum for:
- Cigarette frequency
- Cigarette amount
- Smokeless tobacco
- Alcohol Consumption
- Being Drunk
- Marijuana frequency
- Marijuana amount
- Marijuana frequency
Although outcomes for the remaining 14 substances were not statistically significant, all but GHB moved in a use-reduction direction. This non-clinical setting had a very low number of students reporting drug use in these additional drug categories. Therefore, any measured change in drug use has low statistical power. The CSAP questionnaire also includes survey questions validated for assessing a program’s ability to change attitudes, perception of risk, and drug-taking decisions—factors that, if changed, are thought to influence actual drug use.
1. Study data shows that participating youths changed their decisions to use drugs:
“It is clear to my friends that I am committed to living a drug-free life.”
“I have decided that I will smoke cigarettes.”
“I plan to get drunk sometime in the next year.”
More true p=0.048
More false p=0.008
More false p=0.003
2. The prevention program corrected perceptions of risk from drug use: “How much do you think people risk harming themselves (physically or in other ways) if they…
“try marijuana once or twice?”
“smoke marijuana regularly?”
“take one or two drinks nearly every day?”
More risk p<0.001
More risk p<0.001
More risk p=0.010
2. The prevention program corrected perceptions of risk from drug use: “How much do you think people risk harming themselves (physically or in other ways) if they…
“try marijuana once or twice?”
“smoke marijuana regularly?”
“take one or two drinks nearly every day?”
More risk p<0.001
More risk p<0.001
More risk p=0.010
3. Participating youths also increased their disapproval regarding drug use: “How wrong do you think it is for someone your age to…
“drink beer, wine or hard liquor (e.g. vodka, whiskey or gin) regularly?”
“smoke cigarettes?”
“to use LSD, cocaine, amphetamines or another illegal drug?”
More wrong p<0.001
More wrong p<0.001
More wrong p<0.001
Additionally, the study explored changes in specific core knowledge and resistance abilities based on 25 questions created by the program developer. All but two questions showed statistically significant change in protective knowledge and abilities (p<0.05).
Other Studies
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