PEER PRESSURE RESISTANCE TRAINING TO PREVENT DRUG USE

A Change ProjectPresenter: Anthony Thornton

INTRODUCTION REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT EVALUATION CRITICAL INCIDENTS AND BARRIERS INSTITUTIONALIZATION AND STABILIZATION INTEGRATION OF RELEVANT CONCEPTS CONCLUSION REFLECTIONS

It has been found that peers can initiate youth into drugs. (DAWN Report 2009).

Adolescents are likely to acquire attitudes favorable to drug use if they associate frequently with others who use drugs. (Sutherland, Cressey & Luckenbill 2009).

Teens try drugs in order to fit in or be accepted by their peers. (de Miranda & Williams 2011)

Teenagers often experiment with a variety of activities and substances. Unfortunately, this experimentation can lead to substance abuse and addiction. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2010).

Poor academic performance; job instability; crimes such as stealing, vandalism, and violence; teen pregnancy and the acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases; and relatively high prevalence of driving under the influence, and related accidents. (Sussman, 2011).

By 12th grade, 71% of youth in the U.S. have tried alcohol (54% have reported ever being drunk), 42% have tried cigarette smoking, 43% have tried marijuana, and 25% have tried an illicit drug other than marijuana. (Eaton, Forthofer, & Zapata, 2008)

An inability to cope with the pain effectively, exposure to delinquent peers and a delinquent behavior system, risk factors such as social integration, self-esteem and self-efficacy. (Connell Aklin, Brex, & Gilreath, 2010)

Building self-esteem among teens, providing information about drug misuse, positive alternatives to the misuse of drugs, refusal skills, scare tactics, science education, social norms about drugs and social skills. (Twombly, Holtz, & Agnew, 2011)

Peer Pressure is an influence forced by a group of persons in the same age group, encouraging each other to change their values, behavior and attitudes. (Woolf, 1999)

Peer Acceptance is the degree to which a person is socially accepted by peers or the level of peer popularity. (Reisner, 2005)

Statement of ProblemThere is a high rate of peers who initiate youth into drugs,

model drug using behavior, and shape attitudes about drugs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Research QuestionsScope-Contributing Factors-Solutions

Research MethodologyAction Research

The change action research project proposed include: problem definition; data collection; data analysis; feedback and recommendations; action planning; implementation; data collection; problem redefinition and project reformation. (DeHaan, Krupp and Zee,1976)

Target Population SurveyNon-probability purposive sampling

Sampling frame of 37 (n=37) individuals ages 13-18 years.Twenty-five-item questionnaire utilizing a combination of multiple choice, Likert, fixed closed-end and open ended questions.

Key Informant InterviewExpert Purposive sampling

Sampling frame of seven (n=7) individuals working in social service field.Twenty-five-item schedule utilizing a combination of multiple choice, Likert, fixed closed-end, and open-ended questions.

Target Population’s acquaintance with a drug user

Target population- Primary reason teens use drugs

Target Population- Why teens succumb to peer pressure/acceptance

Target Population- Possible solutions to teen drug abuse

Target Population- Positive opinion of learning peer pressure resistance instruction

Key Informant –Contact with drug abusing teens

p

Peer pressure/acceptance72%

Cultural influence14%

Family/Home life14%

Key Informant- Primary reason why teens use drugs

Key Informants- Positive opinion of youth receptive of peer pressure resistance techniques

No = 14%

Yes = 86%

Option I: To conduct a one-time educational workshop for youth

workers that will teach them to promote leadership training skills and peer- pressure avoidance to adolescents.

Option II: To conduct a monthly psycho-educational group session with

youth to teach leadership and decision making skills, self- esteem building and peer pressure avoidance.

Option III: To have better decision-making skills, leadership skills and

peer-pressure avoidance to be included as a part of charter school curriculum to be imparted on middle school aged youth.

Conducted a one-time educational workshop for youth workers that taught leadership, decision-making skills, self-esteem/confidence building and peer pressure avoidance.

Rationale for method included; time factor, (needed quantitative results by a specific deadline), exposure to wider audience.

The goal was measured by pre and post testing on the material, it was hoped that the youth workers would increase their knowledge of leadership skills, self-esteem building and peer pressure resistance by 25%.

The change agent has elicited the support of the following people to form a coalition:

Licensed Clinical Social Worker who is a family counselor.

Longtime school teacher who has direct interaction with target population individuals.

Pastor of a local church that endorses the use of peer pressure resistance instruction.

Director of business development for a large non-profit

Organizational trainer with a Master’s degree in Social Work

Change Project implemented on November 4, 2012 10am- 4pm

Twelve participants attended including key informants and other individuals who work with directly with youth.

Location: conference room at The Enterprise Center 4548 Market St  Philadelphia, PA

The change agent used active/experiential learning approaches for the by incorporating role playing, game and simulation, observation, mental imagery, writing tasks and small projects.

Active training promotes learning by doing. Experiential learning approaches work well when the training has affective and/or behavioral training goals (Silberman, 2006).

AGENDA 9:45am Opening and Refreshments (Coffee, juice and pastries)10:00am Icebreaker “People Bingo”10:15am Pre-test10:30am Self-Esteem building principles11:30am Role Playing scenarios12:30pm LUNCH BREAK 1:15pm Peer Pressure Resistance Techniques 2:15pm Role Playing scenarios 2:45pm BREAK 3:00pm Leadership Lessons 3:45pm Post-test and Closing

Self-Esteem/Confidence Building ModuleAffirmations, Vision boards, Visualization/Self-Talk. Personal Inventory

Leadership Building ModuleLearning to Lead, Leadership Swap, Learning from Donald Trump, Identifying Body Language.

Peer Pressure Reversal/Resisting Persuasion ModuleSimply Say No, Leave the Scene, Ignore the Peer, Make an Excuse, Change the Subject, Make a Joke, Suggest a Better Idea, Return the Challenge

Summative evaluation is meant to evaluate the program at its conclusion (Babbie, 2010).

Outcome evaluation describes a program's successes and documents lessons learned, outcome evaluation takes an extended view to measure the realization of short- and long-term program goals (Yarbough & Shulha, 2010).

Short-term Objective-Youth workers will have increased awareness, knowledge and skills in the areas of leadership skills, self-esteem building and peer pressure resistance by 25%.

Long-term Objective-Target population will improve academic achievement. A reduction in crime associated with drugs. Improved educational and socio-economic conditions of selected communities.

Evaluation MethodologyThe pre-test-post-test design is a more common type of non-experimental design. The pretest-posttest design is used when there is no control group and not enough pre-intervention data is obtained to use a time-series design (Babbie, 2010).The advantage to using this method is that pre- and post-testing was that it was easily scored and relatively easily analyzed using statistical procedures. A 25% increase of knowledge is the objective. The sample size of those receiving the intervention is 12.

The ten test questions were fashioned directly from the three learning areas.

Pre-test score was a mean of 7.5 out of 10. Post-test score was a mean of 9.5 out of 10.

The percentage change was calculated= 26.6667% increase

The goal of a 25% increase was obtained

Eight Likert format questions from the Participant Satisfaction Survey were to be rated on a scale of one to five. One is rated as “strongly agree” and five is rated as “strongly disagree”. The following data represents the question and the average rating:

1. Content was presented in an organized fashion - 2.02. Content was presented clearly and effectively- 2.4 3. Instructor was responsive to questions/comments- 1.84. Teaching aids/audiovisuals were used effectively- 2.65. Teaching style was effective- 2.06. Content presented was applicable to my profession-1.27. Material easily disseminated to target population.- 3.08. Facilities/Arrangements (location, food services, meeting

room and facilities, restrooms, day of week and time of day)- 2.0

The constraints and barriers that posed the biggest threat to the change project was the limited time allotted for the entire project.

A coalition member had material to contribute but was unavailable for several weeks following an accident. Arrangements were made for the material to be obtained from the coalition member while they were recovering from an injury.

Another critical incident involved the absence of three targeted workshop participants that could not attend. The change agent had to utilize the back-up list of interested participants who agreed to attend.

Presently the change agent has submitted a summary of the evaluation of the project to the pastor of From The Heart Church Ministries of Philadelphia for his approval and future implementation.

A summary of the change project was also required before approval and eventual future program implementation. A copy of letter of support for change project from The Enterprise Center was provided.

Psychology Reality Therapy is a practical method that helps people

take better control of their lives. It assists people in identifying what they want and what they need and then in evaluating whether they can realistically attain what they want. The result is added strength, increased self-confidence better human relationships, and a personal plan for a more effective life. (Corey, 2009)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has many interventions, including self-instructions (e.g. distraction, imagery, motivational self-talk), relaxation and/or biofeedback, development of adaptive coping strategies (e.g. minimizing negative or self-defeating thoughts), changing maladaptive beliefs about pain, and goal-setting. (Corey, 2009)

Systems Theory According to Peter Senge, a shared vision is "a vision that

many people are truly committed to because it reflects their own personal vision. Shared vision is vital for learning organizations because it provides the focus and energy for learning."(p.125). When there is a genuine commonly-held vision within the organization, people strive to learn and excel, not because they are told to, but because they want to (Senge, 1990).

The change agent has theory that if teenagers are taught how to make wise choices and resist negative peer pressure that could result in a positive multifinality. The knowledge that X (negative peer pressure) causes the outcome Y (drug experimentation) can be used to manipulate X (through training in peer pressure reversal) to cause changes in the outcome of Y (increased adolescent achievement). (Kopetz 2007)

Ethics Care ethics- The change project is designed to maintain

the essential foundations of social relationships of youth workers and adolescents. The ideas of trust and open communication are vital to relationships, so that youth workers will be able to impart life forming material to the adolescents. (Gilligan, Ward, Taylor, & Bardige, 1988).

Consequentialism- Adolescents can fall victim the consequences of their actions particularly if they choose to use drugs. It is also the belief of the change agent that good results or consequences can be brought about by the prudent choice to avoid drugs. (Mill, 1874).

The change project appeared to have achieved some short term goals such as increasing the knowledge of participating youth workers and gaining support of some social intervention advocates.

The number of key informants (n=7), and target population (n=37) survey participants was adequate enough to get representative numbers but greater numbers would yield more reliable results.

Would increase the numbers of survey participants to include target population individuals not from highly structured and supported backgrounds to increase validity.

The hypothesis of peer pressure to influence drug use and the subsequent interventions to combat it was validated. This subject is deserving of more study. Refinements made in the program could make the long term goal of school institutionalization a serious possibility.

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