Topic: Alcohol/Drugs/Tobacco, Resilience, Social Competency
Target Population: Adolescents, Middle Childhood
Sector: Community-Based, School-Based
This program is for middle school students.
LifeSkills® Training (LST) Middle School, a school- or community-based program, is designed to prevent substance use and abuse for participants by identifying primary influences that lead youth to start using drugs and by teaching them techniques and methods to resist those factors.
Numerous studies conducted by the program developer have documented positive effects associated with this program. Compared to members of control groups, program participants have reported significantly lower rates of substance initiation; less cigarette smoking, alcohol use, other drug use, delinquency, and aggressive behaviors; and lower rates of HIV risk behavior during young adulthood. Such effects tend to be strongest and most consistent among those at highest risk, when the program is fully implemented with fidelity, and when the program is combined with booster sessions. Despite these findings, it should be noted that one independent evaluation implemented among a rural, disadvantaged population found no effects in males and some positive effects on substance use outcomes in females; however, these effects faded over time.
LST Middle School intends to teach students self-management, social skills, and drug resistance strategies.
This program is initiated with youth who are in 6th or 7th grade. During this year, the core level of the program is disseminated. The program continues for 2 additional years, and the curricula during these years serve as booster sessions and include reinforcement of the principles communicated in the first year.
Throughout the program, students learn skills they may use to avoid substance use or resist future use. In addition to prevention skills, this program also examines methods for encouraging students to improve social skills and take responsibility for their actions. To enhance student instruction, concepts are taught using a combination of lecture, discussions, coaching, and practice of new skills.
The LST Middle School program has been implemented in every U.S. state and in over 30 countries around the world since 1995.
This program is delivered by a trained facilitator who may be a teacher, school counselor, prevention specialist, police officer, or community youth provider. A one-day foundation training workshop is offered online, on-site or off-site. The online training consists of three 90-minute sessions and costs $250. Two-day core training workshops are offered on-site or off-site. Training of Trainer workshops are also available and cost $1,070. Please call 1-800-293-4969 or email training@nhpamail.com for more information on training and costs.
Considerations for implementing this program include acquiring school administrator and teacher buy-in and making time in the current curriculum to implement lessons.
The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
If you are interested in implementing LST Middle School, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Thirty 30- to 45-minute lessons are taught over 3 years. Year 1 includes 15 class sessions plus three optional violence prevention sessions. Year 2 includes 10 class sessions plus two optional violence prevention sessions. Year 3 includes five class sessions plus four optional sessions. Lessons can be delivered once per week or more often as necessary (e.g., two to three times per week until complete).
The full curriculum, which includes levels 1-3, costs $645. Cost for individual levels is $175-$295 per level. Please visit https://lifeskillstraining.com/lifeskills-training-middle-school-products/ for more information.
To move the LST Middle School program to the Effective category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence, at least one external evaluation must be conducted that demonstrates sustained, positive outcomes. This study must be conducted independently of the program developer.
The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 or Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu
You may also contact National Health Promotion Associates, Inc., by mail 711 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604, phone 1-800-293-4969, fax 1-914-421-2007, email lstinfo@nhpamail.com, or visit https://www.lifeskillstraining.com/contact-us/
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