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Building Preventative Group Norms
in Urban Middle Schools
Research Method:
Intervention Research
Principal Investigators:
Jean J. Schensul, Ph.D. (PI), Bonnie K. Nastasi, Ph.D. (Co-PI)
Grant:
National Institute on Drug Abuse
(#DA12015)
Partners:
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven Public Schools,
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Dates of Study:
1999-2004
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Abstract
The purpose of this 4.5-year intervention study is to develop,
conduct and evaluate a new, norms-based approach to drug and
sex-risk prevention with 6th and 7th grade students in New Haven,
CT. Current research demonstrates that drug and sexual risk
behaviors in youth are most strongly influenced not by individual
choice but by choice in the context of peer and community norms.
The Group Norms Prevention Project studies the efficacy of this
approach by comparing its group-based curriculum to the standard
social development curriculum used in New Haven middle schools.
The project uses the principles of group problem-solving, cooperative
learning and social construction in the curriculum design and
prevention implementation. Research methodology includes participant
observation of the classroom and students, in-depth interviews
with students, teachers and school support staff, a pre-post
measure and a pre-post test (the Social and Health Assessment
survey) administered to all students by the district. |
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Project
Goals and Objectives
The project aims to:
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Incorporate a group norms
approach to adolescent drug and sex risk prevention
through a school-based social development curriculum
for 6th and 7th grade students. |
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Evaluate the efficacy
of the group norms curriculum in comparison to the
standard curriculum. |
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Document the intervention
integrity and acceptability among 6th and 7th grade
classrooms. |
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Produce an
intervention manual for replication. |
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Project
Details
After a pilot of the group norms
curriculum in five 5th grade classrooms during the
project's first year, the curriculum is now being
implemented in 6th and 7th grade classrooms of five
district middle schools. The remaining five middle
schools in the district are using the standard curriculum,
serving as a control group for the study. Participating
teachers are trained in the new curriculum at a
voluntary summer training, and during after school
and in-service days. Project staff provide teachers
with on-site support, while conducting participant
observation in the classroom. At the end of the
school year, staff conduct interviews with approximately
50 students, teachers and school administrative
staff to assess the curriculum's efficacy in terms
of content and design. Results from interviews,
observations in classrooms and daily contact with
teachers are used to redesign the curriculum for
the following year. The project team works with
the New Haven Social Development Department in its
implementation. |
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Project Contact:
Bonnie
K. Nastasi, Ph.D. (Co-PI)
Associate Director, Intervention Research
Project Staff:
Jean J. Schensul, Ph.D.,
Principal Investigator
Bonnie K. Nastasi, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigator
Susanne Fest, Ed.D., Ethnographer
Federico Cintron, M.A., Ethnographer
Michele Melley, M.A.,
Research Associate
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Link
to Research Methods page
Publications
Nastasi, B. "Life as a Researcher:
The Role of a School Psychologist in a Research Setting."
The School Psychologist, Spring 2001, pp. 58-61.
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