The Effect of School Based Interventions on Middle School Students' Life Skills in Order to Preventing Drug Abuse.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Adolescence is a critical period in life and the important behavioral patterns such as smoking, alcohol and drug use, that effects whole of the life, is formed in this stage. One of the school –based preventive interventions is Life Skills Training (LST). This study assesses the effect of school –based interventions on middle school students' life skills in order to preventing drug abuse. Methods and Materials: This study is a pre and post- test quasi –experimental study with group that 417 students participated in 2 and 3 grades of Maragheh's middle schools. Eight girls' and boys' schools were selected randomly through the school's list of Education office and after pre-post, were divided in 2 groups/ in the case group, we performed the LST program in the 7 session, and then tested both of the case and control groups. The questionnaire included the demographic questions, PSI, HSS, CATS, and Dr. Bovine's healthy behavior scales. Then we analyzed data by SPSS 15 software by t test and X2. Findings: In post –test, mean scores of decision making and problem solving skill (p<0.01), self –esteem (p<0.05), and resistance skill (p<0.01) had a significantly increasing and tendency to drug abuse (p<0.05) had decreased significantly in case group. Conclusion: LST program in case group was effective on students' life skills, and then it was offered as a protective factor in preventing of schools drug abuse.