NCJ Number
110338
Journal
Journal of Drug Education Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: (1987) Pages: 279-294
Date Published
1987
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This article evaluates the short-term effectiveness of a drug education curriculum on the self-reported behavior of a group of seventh grade students who received a full semester drug education course as sixth graders.
Abstract
In order to combat juvenile drug use, the Los Angeles Police Department (California) and the Los Angeles Unified School District collaborated in the development of Project DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). The DARE curriculum, designed for fifth or sixth grade students, is divided into 17 classroom sessions conducted by a police officer. The purpose of the curriculum is to help youngsters recognize and resist peer pressures that can lead to drug use and abuse. Seventh graders who had completed the DARE education course as sixth graders were asked to respond to a questionnaire designed to assess the impact of the drug education course on their behavior. The students with DARE training reported lower use of alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs since graduating from sixth grade than did the students in a control group who had not received DARE training. Boys trained by DARE reported strong antidrug attitudes. When DARE students were asked to imagine examples of peer pressure for drug use, they showed greater skill in refusing hypothetical pressure than did those not trained by DARE. 11 references. (Author abstract modified)