Effectiveness of an Online Intervention to Prevent Psychoactive Drug Use by Expanding Knowledge of its Effects, Enhancing Life Skills and Increasing Risk Perception Designed for Mexican Middle School Students
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Abstract
Introduction. Adolescence is a vulnerable stage, but also a key time to prevent risky behaviors like drug use. It is important to address risk factors that can become protective factors by enhancing life skills (LS) and increasing the risk perception of psychoactive drug use.
Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of an online intervention to increase knowledge of the effects of psychoactive drug use, improve LS, and increase the risk perception of psychoactive drug use among Mexican middle school students.
Method. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest study with middle school students using an online version of the intervention.
Results. A comparison of the scores of the experimental and control groups on the post-test yielded significant differences in knowledge of the effects of tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, and ecstasy use, and in planning for the future, assertiveness, decision-making, and taking responsibility. It also revealed differences in the perceived risk of marijuana, inhalants, alcohol, and tobacco use.
Discussion and conclusion. The results show that this online intervention modifies middle school students’ risk perception of psychoactive drug use, increases knowledge of its effects, and improves LS. Its online design reduces implementation costs and increases the likelihood of its use as a psychosocial tool to prevent psychoactive drug use.
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