An Effectiveness Trial of Project ALERT

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Alcohol Drinking
Smoking
Marijuana Smoking

Interventions: Behavioral: Project ALERT

Registration Number: NCT00650585

Lead Sponsor: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to replicate a longitudinal evaluation of Project ALERT, a substance abuse prevention program that targets middle school students.

Detailed Description: Project ALERT is a substance abuse prevention program that targets middle school students. The purposes of this evaluation are to test its immediate and one-year effectiveness in a randomized experimental design that will span a total of 2.5 years for each of two cohorts. The cohorts are spaced one year apart to reduce our implementation and data collection burdens at any one time. The design for the two cohorts is identical. In schools randomly assigned to the treatment group, instructors receive Project ALERT training and materials prior to beginning the program and have access to technical assistance on request. In schools randomly assigned to the control group, teachers implement whatever substance abuse prevention curricula they normally would (if any).

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 8338

Inclusion Criteria

schools with 6th-8th grades housed together on a common campus
schools with 6th grade student population of at least 100 students
schools with no current 6th, 7th, or 8th grade implementation of any drug prevention curriculum recognized as a model program by a federally-sponsored registry
all regular education students in the targeted grade must participate

Exclusion Criteria

students in self-contained classrooms (i.e., special education classes)

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Treatment group	Project ALERT	Received Project ALERT

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Self-reported 30-day Use of Alcohol	measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed	Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had used alcohol in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.
Self-reported 30-day Use of Cigarettes	measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed	Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had smoked cigarettes in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.
Self-reported 30-day Marijuana Use	measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed	Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had used marijuana in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.
Self-reported 30-day Inhalant Use	measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed	Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. They were asked on how many days they had used inhalants in the previous 30 days. Response options included "none," "1 or 2 days in the last month," "3 to 5 days in the last month," "6 to 19 days in the last month," and "20 or more days in the last month." Response options were dichotomized into none and at least one day.
Self-reported Lifetime Alcohol Use	measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed	Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever used alcohol (yes or no).
Self-reported Lifetime Cigarette Use	measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed	Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever smoked cigarettes (yes or no).
Self-reported Lifetime Marijuana Use	measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed	Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever used marijuana (yes or no).
Self-reported Lifetime Inhalant Use	measured approximately 30 days after intervention completed	Students completed an 81-item self-report questionnaire. To assess lifetime use, we asked if the respondent had ever used inhalants (yes or no).