Topic 2 Recommendations for Developing School-Based Preventive Programs
- I Development and strong reinforcements of a school policy on tobacco use/ alcohol use
- II Provision of instruction about the negative consequences, peer norms and importantly, refusal skills
- III Provision of education on tobacco/ alcohol and problematic internet use effects in each grade, starting from kindergarten through the end of secondary education.
- IV Teachers should be educated on prevention
- V Involve parents
- VI Assess the preventive programs frequently
I Development and Strong Reinforcements of a School Policy on Tobacco/ Alcohol and Problematic Internet Use
- Explain the rationale for prevention policy to teachers, children and parents
- Prohibitions should regard students, teachers, parents, any visitors to school property, or any social gathering or event sponsored or organized by school
- The advertising of any tobacco products and alcoholic beverages should be banned on school property
- Students should have instructions on how to avoid tobacco/ alcohol and problematic internet use
- All students, teachers and all school staff should have access to programs for smoking cessation/ alcohol misuse/ problematic internet use
- Communication procedures should be in place
| To secure the support for the prevention programs, the program should be developed in cooperation with students, parents, other teachers and school staff, the school board and important community members. |
II Provision of Instruction About the Negative Consequences, Peer norms and Importantly, Refusal Skills
- Important that the program is not limited to the provision of information or induction of fear of tobacco/ alcohol and problematic internet use among the children/ adolescents since it can awaken their curiosity
- The information given should address:
- Long–term and short-term consequences regarding the physiological, cosmetical and social aspects of tobacco use like decreased insurance, yellow teeth, the tobacco smell in clothes and breath
- The community-wide programs aiming to decrease the acceptability of smoking and especially of alcohol use
- Main drivers of smoking/ alcohol use/ and problematic internet use among children/ adolescents and aim to develop other modalities for attaining those aims. These reasons often include peer acceptance, feeling of maturity, or stress coping techniques.
- Oritented to developing skills to recognize and not to fall under the influence of marketing in the media mostly
- Aim to develop refusal skills through direct instruction, modelling, rehearsal and reinforcement
- Include the exercises on skills development for assertiveness, communication, goal-setting and problem-solving.
III Provision of Education on Tobacco/ Alcohol Use and Problematic Internet Use Effects in Each Grade, Starting from Kindergarten through End of Secondary Education
- First cigarette is smoked around the age of 11 to 13
- The education should be intensive at that time
- The increases in the intensity and duration of education to prevent tobacco use result in concomitant increases in effectiveness
- Programs should be integrated into the curricula
IV Teachers Should be Educated on Prevention
- Educated to deliver the program
- Aware of the importance of programs
- Aware of the underlying theory and conceptual framework of the program
V Involve Parents
- The discussion at home can increase the likelihood of better understanding of consequences of smoking/ alcohol use and problematic internet use
- The discussion at home can stimulate smoking cessation