Long-Term Effects of the keepin’ it REAL Model Program in Mexico: Substance Use Trajectories of Guadalajara Middle School Students

The period of early adolescence is characterized by dramatic changes, simultaneously affecting physiological, psychological, social, and cognitive development. The physical transition from elementary to middle school can exacerbate the stress and adversity experienced during this critical life stage. Middle school students often struggle to find social and emotional support, and many students experience a decreased sense of belonging in school, diverting students from promising academic and career trajectories. Drawing on psychological insights for promoting belonging, we fielded a brief intervention designed to help students reappraise concerns about fitting in at the start of middle school as both temporary and normal. We conducted a district-wide double-blind experimental study of this approach with middle school students (n = 1,304). Compared with the control condition activities, the intervention reduced sixth-grade disciplinary incidents across the district by 34%, increased attendance by 12%, and reduced the number of failing grades by 18%. Differences in benefits across demographic groups were not statistically significant, but some impacts were descriptively larger for historically underserved minority students and boys. A mediational analysis suggested 80% of long-term intervention effects on students’ grade point averages were accounted for by changes in students’ attitudes and behaviors. These results demonstrate the long-term benefits of psychologically reappraising stressful experiences during critical transitions and the psychological and behavioral mechanisms that support them. Furthermore, this brief intervention is a highly cost-effective and scalable approach that schools may use to help address the troubling decline in positive attitudes and academic outcomes typically accompanying adolescence and the middle school transition.

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Communicating Prevention: The Effects of thekeepin’ it REALClassroom Videotapes and Televised PSAs on Middle-School Students’ Substance Use

Journal of Applied Communication Research ◽

10.1080/00909880600574153 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 209-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Jennifer R. Warren ◽

Michael L. Hecht ◽

David A. Wagstaff ◽

Elvira Elek ◽

Khadidiatou Ndiaye ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Substance Use ◽

Middle School Students ◽

School Students

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Physical Discipline and Verbal Punishment

Youth & Society ◽

10.1177/0044118x15618836 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 50 (7) ◽

pp. 871-890 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ruth X. Liu

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Substance Use ◽

Middle School Students ◽

Chinese Adolescents ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Physical Discipline ◽

School Students ◽

Specific Data ◽

And Gender ◽

Gender Specific

This study assesses the effects of physical and verbal discipline on delinquency among Chinese adolescents and whether parent–adolescent influences are domain and gender-specific. Data drawn from more than 2,700 middle school students from Fuzhou City, China yield results as follows: Parental use of physical and verbal discipline each increases the risk of delinquency in three domains after controlling for common correlates. Physical discipline exerts generally stronger effects than verbal punishment except for substance use, where verbal discipline is slightly stronger. The effects of physical and verbal discipline are domain- and gender-specific. While father’s physical discipline predicts son’s delinquency in three domains, mother’s physical discipline is associated with aggression and substance use among daughter. Contrarily, for verbal discipline, maternal punishment is associated with son’s delinquency, whereas paternal verbal discipline predicts daughter’s aggression. These results along with others are discussed in light of theoretical importance and policy implications.

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Polysubstance use among adolescents in Tunisia

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1058 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

J Sahli ◽

M Limam ◽

C Zedini ◽

M Ghardallou ◽

A Mtiraoui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Substance Use ◽

Middle School Students ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Drug Use ◽

Psychotropic Drug ◽

Medical Prescription ◽

School Students ◽

Polysubstance Use ◽

Psychotropic Drug Use

Abstract Background Poly-substance use is a global public health problem associated with significant adverse social and health effects. Adolescents are increasingly affected by this risky behaviour. The objective of our study was to describe the poly-substance use and to determine the association between the different types of substance use among middle school students in the Region of Kairouan in Tunisia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 among middle school students in the Region of Kairouan in Tunisia using a self-administered questionnaire for data collection. Results A total of 494 students participated in the survey. Tobacco, alcohol, cannabis and psychotropic drug uses were reported respectively by 7.9%, 7.3%, 6.3% and 14.3% of the students. Among the surveyed students, the poly-consumption of the four substances: alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and psychotropic medication without medical prescription was reported by 2.83% of the students. Among these poly-consumers, 57.1% were male. Poly substance use was found to increase with the level of study (21.4%, 28.6% and 50% respectively in grades 7, 8 and 9). In our study, among the smokers, 64.1% reported alcohol use, 69.2% reported cannabis use and 43.6% reported psychotropic drug use. Associations between tobacco use and other substances use were significant (p < 10-3). This association was significant for both boys and girls. In addition, 71% and 26% of alcohol users were respectively cannabis and psychotropic drug users. Alcohol use was significantly associated with cannabis and psychotropic drug use (p < 10-3). This association was significant for both boys and girls. Conclusions Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to multiple risky behaviors including substance use. Appropriate prevention and control strategies based on a participatory approach involving parents, teaching and medical staff should be put in place to combat this scourge. Key messages Despite a relatively low prevalence of poly-substance use among the surveyed students, a particular attention should be drawn to the phenomenon of psychotropic drug use without medical prescription. There is an urgent need for the implementation of an effective substance use prevention program in school settings in Tunisia where monitoring is one of its core components.

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