An Effectiveness Trial of Project ALERT

The purpose of this study is to replicate a longitudinal evaluation of Project ALERT, a substance abuse prevention program that targets middle school students.

Project ALERT is a substance abuse prevention program that targets middle school students. The purposes of this evaluation are to test its immediate and one-year effectiveness in a randomized experimental design that will span a total of 2.5 years for each of two cohorts. The cohorts are spaced one year apart to reduce our implementation and data collection burdens at any one time. The design for the two cohorts is identical. In schools randomly assigned to the treatment group, instructors receive Project ALERT training and materials prior to beginning the program and have access to technical assistance on request. In schools randomly assigned to the control group, teachers implement whatever substance abuse prevention curricula they normally would (if any).

Project ALERT (Adolescent Learning Experiences in Resistance Training) is a drug prevention curriculum designed for middle-school students (11 to 14 years old). The 11 lessons in the first year and 3 booster lessons in the second year focus on alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and inhalants - the substances that adolescents are most likely to use. Project ALERT uses participatory activities and videos to help motivate youth to avoid drug use, to teach youth skills and strategies to resist peer pressures to use drugs, and to establish social norms against drug-use. More information about Project ALERT may be found at http://www.projectalert.best.org/.

Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had used alcohol in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.

Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had smoked cigarettes in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.

Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had used marijuana in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.

Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had used inhalants in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.

Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever used alcohol (yes or no).

Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever smoked cigarettes (yes or no).

Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever used marijuana (yes or no).

Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever used inhalants (yes or no).

Inclusion Criteria: schools with 6th-8th grades housed together on a common campus schools with 6th grade student population of at least 100 students schools with no current 6th, 7th, or 8th grade implementation of any drug prevention curriculum recognized as a model program by a federally-sponsored registry all regular education students in the targeted grade must participate Exclusion Criteria: students in self-contained classrooms (i.e., special education classes)

Ringwalt CL, Clark HK, Hanley S, Shamblen SR, Flewelling RL. Project ALERT: a cluster randomized trial. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009 Jul;163(7):625-32. doi: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2009.88.