Drinkaware 'in:tuition' schools programme pilot update - an effective educational approach?

In 2011 Drinkaware launched an interactive life-skills programme in:tuition to support school-aged children, their teachers and parents.

The on-line resource was designed to support 9-14 year olds develop a range of skills to deal with responding to alcohol. It encourages young people to explore their attitudes, behaviour and decision-making by looking at issues such as peer pressure, self-confidence and goal setting.

The resource aims to support Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PHSE) education in schools. It aims to equip teachers, parents and young people with the knowledge and skills to help delay the age at which young people have their first drink. It also encourages parents to join in with home learning and reinforce the messages that their children have learned at school about how to deal responsibly with alcohol. It claims it is based on best-evidence life-skills approaches, which can reportedly reduce the risk of alcohol misuse by up to 30%.

An effective approach?

The effectiveness of schools-based programmes to reduce substance use has been the subject of hot debate. Critics argue that industry backed initatives focus on educational approaches precisely because these don't significantly result in reduced consumption.

In 2011 a review Investigating the effectiveness of education in relation to alcohol noted that whilst there was a range of educational approaches and delivery methods which made a small but positive contribution to alcohol harm reduction, some indeed may even be counter-productive. It cited that knowledge and attitude change alone were not predictive of positive behaviour change, and that combined school and family approaches were most effective when integrated with environmental interventions. This would include interventions such as limiting young people's access to alcohol and changing community tolerance to alcohol misuse.

Research previously indicated that that there may not be a proven significant difference between interactive and non-interactive methods. This suggests life skills may be no more important than a more narrowed focus of helping school children counter social influences. Findings has also published articles showcasing the debate on whether interactive programmes are effective accounting for research which suggested such programmes had a small but significant effect in delaying the onset of substance use - but subsequently contested.

In:tuition is currently being evaluated through Alcohol Research UK.

Comments

[James Morris]

Hi Andrew, good points, and thanks for the Blueprints presentations. This is a key issue with the brief intervention agenda too!

[Andrewbrown365]

I think the effectiveness of programmes is a very interesting subject.

Foxcroft and Tsertsvadze in their recent Cochrane review of school based alcohol prevention programmes did find a small number that have sufficient evidence to allow them to suggest they could be "considered as policy and practice options".

And as I'm sure you'll be aware the economic modelling done for NICE suggests that even small effects if delivered universally can make economic sense, something that's reinforced by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy work on cost benefit ratios for various programmes.

But, as I recently saw in an excellent presentation on the Blueprints website an intervention is one thing implementation is another.

Whether this has any baring on the Drinkaware programme we'll have to wait and see.

[E. Kenneth Eckersley]

When are Government policy-makers going to realise that more significant - than the addictive effects of alcohol - is the infant and juvenile ages at which our ancient laws permit alcohol to be a drunk IN THE HOME.

Thus giving our youngsters 13 years of legalised training and practice in alcohol consumption BEFORE they reach the so-called "legal drinking age"

So, until the law is changed, it is up to sensible parents to make sure their children do not succumb to the alcohol habit which opens the door to other addictive substance usage.

Kenneth Eckersley,
CEO Addiction Recovery Training Services, a not-for-profit community support operation established in 1975.