Peer-to-peer Tobacco and ENDS Prevention (PPSM)

In Phase I, the REAL media Plus prototype will be developed and a usability test conducted among students and teachers. In Phase II a group randomized trial will be conducted among 27 high schools to evaluate the effects of REAL media Plus on smoking and vaping.

In Phase I, participants will participate in pilot and usability tests of the curriculum prototype. For the pilot test, teachers and students will use the curriculum prototype and then be interviewed about it. For the usability test, students and teachers will use the revised curriculum and be interviewed/complete short survey. Teachers will provide consent and students will have parental consent and their own assent. In Phase II, a group randomized trial will be conducted during Spring semester 2020 among 9th grade student in 27 high schools in the Hillsborough County Public School system randomly assigned to treatment and control (14 treatment and 13 control). All students will complete a pretest survey. Students in two health classes in treatments schools will participate in the REAL media Plus curriculum and complete a short immediate posttest survey to rate their experience. All students will then complete two posttests. Students will have parental consent and provide their own assent.

Participants in this group will participate in their usual school curriculum. They will have the opportunity to use the REAL media Plus curriculum at the conclusion of the study.

REAL media Plus is a 7-level, interactive, self-paced, e-learning media literacy curriculum to prevent youth smoking and vaping use.

Change in 5-item Lifetime Substance Use Measure Self reported lifetime use of (e.g., whether you ever tried) cigarettes and vaping. Response options include Yes and No.

Inclusion Criteria: Attendance at participating schools; 9th grade student status (for student participants, both phase 1 and 2); status as a teacher/counselor (for phase 1); written parental consent and assent from students (phase 1 and 2); written consent from counselors/teachers (phase 1); and all individuals must be willing to participate. Exclusion Criteria: Exclusion criteria include the inability to speak or read American English, use a computer, or navigate the Internet and, for youth, lack of parental consent.