Promoting Positive Youth Development, Health, and Well-Being through Life Skills Training

1. Promoting Positive Youth Development, Health, and Well-Beingthrough Life Skills Training Christopher Williams, Ph.D. Pamela Werb, MEd National Health Promotion Associates This product is supported by Florida Department of Children and Families Substance Abuse and Mental Health Program Office funding.

2. Overview • Background • Theory and Description • Effectiveness • Potential for Educational Outcomes • Botvin LifeSkills Training • Implementation Considerations • Q & A

3. Background

5. Priority Health-Risk Behaviors Monitored by CDC (YRBSS) • Behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of mortality and morbidity • Tobacco use • Alcohol and other drug use • Motor vehicle accidents • Other unintentional injuries • Violence (Suicide, Homicide) • Sexual behaviors • Unhealthy dietary behaviors • Inadequate physical activity

6. Prevention Science • Advances in Etiology and Prevention • Multiple health behaviors • Toward a unified field • Convergence • Similar etiologic factors and course • Shared methods and theories • Similar effective approaches

7. Institute Of Medicine Classification:Continuum of Care

8. Early Prevention Efforts: Ineffective • Health Information • Scare Tactics • School Assembly Programs • Ineffective • Drug information programs increased use in some studies

9. Evidence-Based Approaches • Tested and Proven Effective • Well-Designed (Randomized Control Trials) • Carefully Executed • Rigorous Research Methods • Appropriate Data Analysis • Published in Peer-Reviewed Journal • One or More Replications

10. Etiology Studies Show Hypothesized Mediating Variables Associated with Adolescent Substance Use • Assertiveness • Refusal skills • Decision-making • Problem-solving skills _ Substance Use Behavior • Peer substance use • Perceived norms • Social anxiety • Risk-taking • Positive drug expectancies +

11. Intervention Effects Observed on Key Hypothesized Mediating Variables • Assertiveness • Refusal skills • Decision-making • Problem-solving skills • Locus of control + Life Skills Training _ • Peer substance use • Perceived norms • Social anxiety • Risk-taking • Positive drug expectancies

12. Life Skills Training:Conceptual Model and Brief Description

13. Model of Adolescent Drug Use and Focus of LST Program Socio- Cultural Personal Competence Skills Risk and Protective Factors Family Social Competence Skills Drug Use Social Environment Drug Resistance Skills/ Cognitions Life Skills Training Contextual Factors Individual Factors

14. Life Skills TrainingMajor Components • Personal Competence • Social Competence • Resistance Skills, Attitudes and Norms

15. Personal Competence Skills • Problem-Solving and Decision-Making • Personal Behavior Change Skills • Stress and Anxiety Management

16. Social Competence Skills • Communication Skills • Greetings and Brief Social Exchanges • Meeting New People • Conversational Skills • Complimenting Skills • Assertive Skills

17. Resistance Skills/Norms Awareness of Drug Use Influences Anti-Drug Use Norms Resistance Skills

18. Effectiveness

19. Evidence of Effectiveness Over 30 Peer-Reviewed Studies Short, Intermediate, and Long-term Majority and Minority Youth Tobacco Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use Other Health Outcomes Independent Replication

21. Methodological Issues • RCT: Cluster Randomization • Validity of Self Report • IDs for Tracking Individual Students • Pretest Equivalence • Differential Attrition/Data Loss • Appropriate Analysis (ICCs, Covariates)

24. Short-Term Effects

25. Life Skills Training Short-Term Effects 30 LST Control 25 20 Percent Using Monthly 15 10 5 0 Tobacco* Alcohol** Marijuana*** Source: *Botvin et al. (1982), ** Botvin, Baker et al. (1984), *** Botvin, Baker, Renick et al.(1984).

26. 20 LST + Booster LST Control 15 Percent Using Weekly 10 5 0 Tobacco* Marijuana** Source: *Botvin et al. (1983), ** Botvin et al. (1990) Life Skills Training Booster Effects

27. Long-Term Effects: 5 Years (Grade 12)

28. 21% Reduction LST Control 20% Reduction Life Skills Training Long-Term Effects: Smoking 28% Reduction 30 25 29% Reduction 20 Percent Using 15 10 5 0 Weekly Smoking* Weekly Smoking** Daily Smoking* Daily Smoking** (White Sample) (Minority Sample) (White Sample) (Minority Sample) Source: *Botvin et al. (1995), ** Botvin et al. (2004)

29. 25% Reduction 38% Reduction 56% Reduction 50% Reduction Life Skills Training Long-Term Effects: Gateway Poly-drug Use & Illicit Drug Use LST Control 30 25 20 Percent Using 15 10 5 0 Polydrug Use* Narcotics** Hallucinogens** Illicit Drug Use** (Weekly) (Lifetime) (Lifetime) (Lifetime) Source: *Botvin et al. (1995), ** Botvin et al. (2000)

30. Life Skills TrainingBinge Drinking(Botvin et al., 2001)

31. Long-Term Effects: 5 Years (Grade 12)

32. Violence and Delinquency Source: Botvin et al.,Preventing youth violence and delinquency through a universal school-based prevention approach. Prevention Science, 2006

33. Long-Term Follow-Up: 12 Years (Young Adult) Illicit Drug Use

34. Research Design

35. Long-Term Follow-Up by Condition

36. Long-Term Follow-Up by Condition

37. Potential Educational Outcomes • Attendance, Engagement, and Commitment • Safe, Supportive Learning Environment • Ability to Handle Academic Pressures • Pro-social Engagement with Teachers and Peers • Promotion of Social and Emotional Learning • Better Choices In and Out of Classroom

38. Q & A

39. Break

40. What is Botvin LifeSkills Training?

41. Personal Self-Management Skills General Social Skills Resistance Skills

42. Program Providers • Health Educators • Prevention Specialists • Peer Leaders • Teachers

43. Teaching Methods • Facilitate Discussion • Teach Skills • Provide Reinforcement • Provide Opportunities for Skills Practice

44. What is the age range for LST? Ages 8 - 18 The Botvin LifeSkills Training evidence-based approach spans multiple age groups. Materials are adapted for age and developmental appropriateness.

45. Sessions per Level

46. Elementary Program Content by Grade/Level

47. Middle School Program Structure & Content By Grade/Level

48. High School Program Content

49. Transitions Program Content PROGRAM FIDELITY: Teach the lessons in order at least one time per week in consecutive weeks, allow 45 – 50 minutes per lesson and deliver all of the activities in the lesson. 49

50. Skills Training Instruction Demonstration Behavior Rehearsal Feedback Reinforcement Extended Practice