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- Title
Effect of a Life Skills-based Substance Abuse Prevention Curriculum on Social Competence in the Afterschool Setting.
- Authors
Tiberi-Ramos, Je'Lynn
- Abstract
Social competence level is a protective factor against substance abuse, especially for at-risk youth. Rural youth are a group at higher risk for substance abuse, including youth in the rural county in this study. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Footprints for LifeTM, a classroom-based tobacco/alcohol prevention curriculum, on early elementary-aged school student participants' social competence when delivered in an afterschool setting. Using a one-group/pre-test post-test design, adult afterschool program mentors observed and rated student participants' social competence behaviors, such as healthy communication, emotional regulation, and constructive handling of peer pressure. A series of paired samples t-tests revealed statistically significant differences between eleven mentor-observed social competence measures of student participants before and after the program. Results suggest that a life skills-based curriculum using puppets to tell a real-world story that teaches social competence skills can be effective in an afterschool environment. For both afterschool program directors and substance abuse prevention specialists, the age of student participants is crucial for developing social skills and resilience for coping with future negative peer pressure and pressure to use substances. Therefore, social competence-building interventions can be considered for implementation as effective afterschool substance abuse prevention programs.
- Subjects
LIFE skills; SOCIAL skills; AT-risk youth; CURRICULUM; EDUCATIONAL programs
- Publication
Midwest Journal of Undergraduate Research (MJUR), 2019, Issue 10, p31
- ISSN
2160-9357
- Publication type
Article