• Tatiana Andreeva, MD, PhD, Tatiana Andreeva, MD, PhD,

• Konstantin Krasovsky, PhDKonstantin Krasovsky, PhD

• Kazan Public Foundation Choice, Russian Kazan Public Foundation Choice, Russian FederationFederation

• Alcohol and Drug Information Center, Alcohol and Drug Information Center, UkraineUkraine

DEVELOPMENT OF PREVENTION DEVELOPMENT OF PREVENTION EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR TEACHERS AND PEER LEADERS TEACHERS AND PEER LEADERS

ORIENTED ON YOUTH PROBLEMS ORIENTED ON YOUTH PROBLEMS AND VALUESAND VALUES

The project goalThe project goal

To create instruments, which will let teachers To create instruments, which will let teachers and peer leaders to address intoxicants-related and peer leaders to address intoxicants-related problems in young people’s lives and to deal problems in young people’s lives and to deal with the situation where substances of abuse with the situation where substances of abuse are seen as a means to solve psychological are seen as a means to solve psychological problems and to meet natural needs of problems and to meet natural needs of teenagers – training materials which could be teenagers – training materials which could be used in work with teenagers to show them used in work with teenagers to show them other ways to satisfy their needs and to solve other ways to satisfy their needs and to solve their problems instead of intoxicants.their problems instead of intoxicants.

The project objectives are:The project objectives are:

• To reveal and analyze intoxicants-related To reveal and analyze intoxicants-related youth problems.youth problems.

• To develop the instrument to address these To develop the instrument to address these problems in youth relevant way.problems in youth relevant way.

• To train teachers to use the prepared kit in To train teachers to use the prepared kit in class.class.

Short description of the method

S toryco llec tin g

C h arac te rsd e te rm in a tion

B as iccon flic ts

S ym b o lic p laceo f in toxican ts

S to ry, ro les ,q u es tion s

S itu a tione lab ora tion

S itu a tiontes tin g

S itu a tionc rea tion

The preconditions of the The preconditions of the approach (1)approach (1)

1. Active participation of the teenager in 1. Active participation of the teenager in discussion is more effective, than his discussion is more effective, than his passive listening to a lecture. Role playing passive listening to a lecture. Role playing is one of the most productive ways to is one of the most productive ways to develop life skills and behavioral develop life skills and behavioral strategies. strategies.

The preconditions of the The preconditions of the approach (2)approach (2)

2. The game is familiar to everybody since early 2. The game is familiar to everybody since early childhood, comparing to such activity, as the childhood, comparing to such activity, as the analysis and understanding of the complex text. analysis and understanding of the complex text. The game entertains, easily attracts and keeps The game entertains, easily attracts and keeps attention. The approach therefore is applicable attention. The approach therefore is applicable and is recommended for rather young and is recommended for rather young participants, does not impose special participants, does not impose special requirements to the audience.requirements to the audience.

The preconditions of the The preconditions of the approach(3)approach(3)

3. Participating in a situation, the teenager brings 3. Participating in a situation, the teenager brings in his own senses, attitudes, values, which he in his own senses, attitudes, values, which he subsequently discusses. The offered typical subsequently discusses. The offered typical situations are stimulus for projections, enable to situations are stimulus for projections, enable to look at stereotyped behavior from aside, as at the look at stereotyped behavior from aside, as at the play. The developed situations are very close to play. The developed situations are very close to realities of teenagers life, they are not imposed by realities of teenagers life, they are not imposed by the adults, the discussions concern the most the adults, the discussions concern the most essential problems of the teenagers. essential problems of the teenagers.

The preconditions of the The preconditions of the approach (4)approach (4)

4. Individuals act as social and cultural norms 4. Individuals act as social and cultural norms dictate, because it seems "self-evident". To dictate, because it seems "self-evident". To realize stereotyped behavioral patterns and ways realize stereotyped behavioral patterns and ways to solve problems is the possibility to be released to solve problems is the possibility to be released from their compulsion. The formation of drug from their compulsion. The formation of drug free (tobacco free and especially alcohol free) free (tobacco free and especially alcohol free) lifestyle is very closely connected to change of lifestyle is very closely connected to change of cultural norms and systems of symbols. cultural norms and systems of symbols.

The preconditions of the The preconditions of the approach (5)approach (5)

5. The problem of smoking, drinking and drug 5. The problem of smoking, drinking and drug taking is frequently not perceived as a problem taking is frequently not perceived as a problem itself. It is rather a way to solve other important itself. It is rather a way to solve other important and vital issues - conflicts in family, relations and vital issues - conflicts in family, relations with a peer group. Paying attention to these with a peer group. Paying attention to these emotionally significant relations, we get an emotionally significant relations, we get an opportunity to realize opportunity to realize thethe place of place of legal and legal and illegalillegal drugs in this issues, to show their drugs in this issues, to show their symbolical, rather than chemical value.symbolical, rather than chemical value.

Target group of life situations method

• Main target group– Teenagers from 12 to 15 years old

• Intermediary target group– Peer leaders – older teenagers, students, young

adults

• Mediated target group– Other teenagers– Parents and other family members

Course structure

• Invitation

• Sessions

• Creation of peer leaders team

• Peer leaders work supervision

Forms of use of life situations approach to substance abuse

prevention

• Single session form

• Series of sessions form

Components of one session.

1. Preparations and expectations.2. Acquaintance and contact3. Schedule. Mutual plans determination4. Topic and situation choice5. Funnel questions. Invitation to the play6. Story. Roles7. Scenery. Performance8. Role exit9. Discussion: questions and answers10.Summary

Single session

• Advantages– Requires less time and preparation– Possibility to work with more teenager groups or school

classes– Possibility not to continue sessions in case of a failure

• Disadvantages– Limited possibility to influence the behavior of the group– Impossibility to train youth leaders– The arousing questions stay without answers – Impossibility to evaluate effectiveness

Tasks to be solved in series of sessions.

• Testing of the method

• Use as a scheduled school discipline

• Creation of a system of prevention in an educational setting

• Use of the method in a teenager club

A sequence of topics in a series of sessions

• Tobacco• Alcohol• Illegal drugs

A sequence of topics in a series of sessions.

1. First most safe situations are to be proposed with not much requirement to role playing, just some questions-answers and discussion.

2. Several situations with obvious social conflict connected with tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs which cause emotional response but do not need much psychological elaboration.

3. When group dynamics come to the stage of conflicts in the group special story “Prevention” is proposed.

4. If the conflict is successfully overcome then several stories on peer relations and family relations are proposed.

Series of sessions. Advantages.

• Atmosphere of trust and stable psychological contact between trainer and the group is possible

• More effective than a single session• Possibility to divide one topic into several sessions• More personal experience can be involved and

worked through• Possibility to see behavioral changes and to correct

negative trends• Possibility of feedback and corrections

Series of sessions. Disadvantages.

• Higher requirements for the trainer

• Require regular time and efforts

• When the session is announced it should be conducted despite of desire of the group

• Regular sessions can be perceived as imposed from outside both by the trainer and the group

Further activities

• Tobacco ads critical analysis

• Anti-tobacco posters competitions

• Population surveys

• Parents meetings

• Participation of the teenagers in the amateur editions

• Creation of your own approaches

Evaluation. Formative evaluation.

• Group characteristics

• Percentage of boys and girls

• Smoking status, other drugs use experience

• Subgroups, their relations

• Special problems

• Experience of preventive programs

• Evaluation of a single session

Evaluation of a single session.

• What did you learn through the session?• What did you like and what you didn’t like?• Would you like to participate in more sessions like

this?• What would you like to change in the following

sessions?• What would you like to discuss during the next

session?• What would you like to do before the following

session?

Process evaluation

• Quality of contact

• Teenagers attitude to the session and role playing

• Progression of discussion

• Desire to meet again

Outcome evaluation

• Conclusions by the audience

• Teenagers’ desire to participate actively and to change intoxicants use situation around them

• Surveys results shifts

Advantages. Prevention point of view.

• The maximal mastering of the information

• Active involvement of all the participants of the target group

• Stereotypes comprehension

• Long-term effect

• Safety

• Adjustment for a certain target group

Advantages. Adolescent point of view.

• Dialogue on equal

• Opportunity to display own individuality

• Non-authoritarian style

Advantages. Trainer’s point of view.

• Cost-effectiveness

• Compactness

• Multi-alternativeness

• Opportunity to involve various pedagogical personnel

• Opportunity to involve peer leaders

• Opportunity of use in the advanced audience

Disadvantages of the method.

• Special requirements to the trainer’s motivation and attitude

• Non applicability with numerous groups