Classes and discussions about substance abuse help at-risk children avoid alcohol in the short-run, according to a new study from Great Britain.
- Researchers from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry tested 2506 children, average age 13.5 years old.
- The researchers worked to determine the students' risk for developing dependencies on alcohol or drugs.
- 1159 children were determined to to be at high risk.
- Of these, 624 received a school-based intervention, and the others became part of a control group.
The intervention consisted of two 90-minute sessions led by teachers who had undergone a three-day workshop and four hours of supervised follow-up.
- Within the next six months, the children were re-tested.
- The group that had the intervention were 1.7 times less likely to use alcohol.
- The intervention group members were also 55% less likely to engage in binge drinking than were the members of the control group.
- However, the long-term effects of the intervention are yet to be determined.
This study appears in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Labels: students, schools, prevention
Posted By: Aspen Education Group