The role of parents in preventing alcohol misuse: an Evaluation of the Kids Adults Together Programme (KAT)

1. The role of parents in preventing alcohol misuse: an Evaluation of the Kids Adults Together Programme (KAT) Dr Jeremy Segrott Heather Rothwell

2. Presentation outline • Description of KAT • Research background and methods • Main findings • Key programme mechanisms • KAT’s future potential

3. Background to KAT • Universal school-based programme aiming to reduce alcohol misuse among young people • Originated with Substance Misuse Education and Prevention Officer for Gwent Police • Based on Australian programme Parents and Kids Together (PAKT) • Key consideration – PAKT drew in large numbers of parents • Multi-agency working group set up to introduce KAT

4. Components of KAT • Classroom activities for children • Fun evening for families • Goody bags taken home by families, including a DVD for families to watch at home

5. Adaptation of PAKT model • Classroom preparation was planned by KAT working group and linked to National Curriculum • Addition of DVD “Gone”, produced by KAT organiser in collaboration with professional film makers.

6. Research background • Partnership with Gwent police • Pilot programme in two primary schools • Exploratory study aiming to establish the theoretical basis of the programme, assess perceived impact and acceptability and identify potential long-term outcomes

7. Research background • Schools are important sites for substance misuse prevention programmes • Key programme features: • Interactive approach • Primary schools • Involving parents (Dishion and Kavanagh 2000; Lloyd et al. 2000; Marlatt and Witkiewitz 2002; Petrie et al. 2007). • BUT programmes struggle to engage parents

8. Methods • Phase 1 examined programme’s development, theory and aims • Interviews with working group and documentary analysis • Phase 2 examined implementation • Observation of classroom preparation and fun evening • Focus groups with pupils • Interviews with working group, school staff and parents • Questionnaire to parents of all pupils involved

9. Programme implementation • Classroom preparation over 2-3 weeks • 2 primary schools in Gwent police area • Years 5 and 6 (pupils aged 9-11) Fun evenings • Quizzes • Plays and songs performed by children • Children’s class work on display • Drugs information stand

10. Programme implementation • Goody bags • Leaflets about alcohol • Smoothies • Smoothie recipe • “Encouraging your child” – sheet for parents • DVD DVD story – A family where the parents drink too much, and the children run away from home

11. Programme implementation • High levels of acceptability reported by schools, parents and pupils • 40-50 parents attended each fun evening • Successfully engaged parents in a school activity • KAT enabled schools to deliver PHSE components

12. Main finding: communication • Family conversations about parental drinking were key impact • Children attempted to change parents’ behaviour • KATFF helped stimulate general discussion about alcohol or support parents in their attempts to discuss it with their children • Fun evening was catalyst for discussion about the work children had done in school • Little discussion of school work by pupils before the fun evening • Many pupils keen to attend and put pressure on their parents • DVD extended influence of the programme and generated discussion

13. Main finding: communication • HR: Carys, have you talked about [the fun evening] with your parents, or… • Carys: A little bit. • HR: Yeah, that’s since we last had the discussion group here, is it? • Carys: Yeah. • HR: And what sort of things did you talk about? • Carys: I told them they shouldn’t drink as much and they stopped it now. • HR: Oh right. Gosh! You’re very influential in your family are you? • Fiona: I talked to my grandpa about it too, coz he goes down the pub every Monday and Friday to have a pint of beer, but I told him about it and now he’s cutting down on alcohol. • (Focus Group 1, Feb 09, names changed)

14. Main finding: knowledge • Most children gained new knowledge, but others still enjoyed KAT • Information on the legal framework around alcohol and government guidelines (e.g. rules around drink driving) • Knowledge about the effects of alcohol on the self and others • Parents also gained new knowledge on these topics • General agreement between parents and pupils about what different family members had learnt as a result of KATFF • Information at the fun evening based on classroom work so pupils felt they were ‘teaching their parents’

15. Main finding: knowledge “I think what was good about it was . . . the information the policeman gave on how much drink actually damages your insides, your livers and what it does to you. I don’t think many adults – they have a drink and they don’t realise, or teenagers or anything – do they really, how much it can actually do to you, you know? And like the binge drinking – like you drink moderately but binge drinking … people don’t realise that on a weekend they store it up and that come across really good. Really good. “ (Mother; Nov 08)

16. Main finding: awareness • Clear evidence that some pupils had deepened their understanding of issues relating to alcohol • Realisation that alcohol was more than ‘just a drink’, and the impacts that alcohol could have • Parental awareness about the influence of their own drinking practices increased • KATFF raised awareness among parents of what their child’s school was doing

17. Main finding: awareness Grace: I thought it was just like a drink you can have but you can’t have…but now I know a lot more about it. And you learn a lot more about what happens to you when you drink it Hazel: You know some of it but you definitely know more what can happen to you and how it works, how alcohol is Grace: I now understand what it can do to you if you have too much. Hazel: Yeah HR: And had you not thought about that much before the KAT programme? Together: No, not really (Focus Group 4, March 09, names changed)

18. Main finding: drinking behaviour • Key issue for pupils was that KAT could reduce alcohol misuse by adults • Some pupils reported behaviour change among their parents, particularly reducing their alcohol consumption levels • Other family members also made changes, including those who had not attended the fun evening • Impact on adult behaviour sustained at three months in some cases • Some parents also described having reduced their alcohol consumption or making other changes to the way they drank

19. Discussion • A short intervention with a surprisingly big potential for impact on young people, parents and schools • Much of the communication within families focused on children’s concerns about parents’ drinking • Children and young people showed an understanding of the key issues surrounding alcohol and a concern for their families • KAT involves children as active players, not simply as recipients of knowledge • Challenges many of the stereotypes around young people and alcohol

20. Key mechanism: parental involvement • Classroom • Preparation Fun evening!

21. Key mechanism:parental involvement and communication • Children’s concern about their parents’ alcohol consumption

22. Key mechanism:communication Children’s plays DVD

23. Key mechanism: knowledge • Interactive learning • Classroom teaching methods • Teachers’ use of IT • Fun evening

24. But . . . • Exploratory approach examining programme aims and processes • Short term perceived impacts, small sample • What have we found?

25. What’s the longer-term potential? • Social Development Model (Catalano et al. 1996) Perceived opportunities for prosocial interaction Involvement in prosocial interaction Perceived rewards for prosocial interaction Attachment to prosocial others Prosocial values & behaviour Classroom preparation, fun evening, DVD, leaflets Interactive learning in classroom and fun evening, making smoothies, watching DVD, family communication Teachers’ and parents’ recognition and appreciation of children’s work Communication fosters parent-child bond

26. Future plans: exploratory trial • Application for funding for exploratory trial • Development of theoretical model • Examine intervention acceptability and feasibility • Examine engagement across socio-economic groups and localities • Assess impact on pro-social communication • Confirm key outcome measures relating to alcohol behaviours • Determine whether to conduct a full scale trial

27. Acknowledgements • Alcohol Education Research Council • Lyn Webber, Mary Pinnell, and the KAT Working Group • Pupils, parents and staff at the two study schools • Colleagues at CISHE