NCT05321563

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Drug Education and Diversion Program for Middle and High School Students

• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 132 (actual)
• Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 10 Years – 22 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the iDECIDE curriculum as an alternative to punitive responses for school-based substance use infractions.

Detailed description

The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the iDECIDE curriculum as an alternative to punitive responses for school-based substance use infractions. To accomplish this aim, investigators will conduct a Type 1, hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial. Using a stepped wedge design, investigators will randomly allocate the timing of implementation of the iDECIDE curriculum compared to standard disciplinary response, over approximately 24 months. Investigators are testing the overarching hypothesis that student-level outcomes improve when schools transition from a standard disciplinary response to having access to a more educational and therapeutic alternative. Participants for this aim will include students referred by schools with substance use infractions who are assessed by the study team at baseline (proximal to the time of infraction), 45, and 90 days later. Exploratory aims of this study include: 1. Change in school environment -- Evaluating the impact of transition from punitive responses for substance use to iDECIDE on overall prevalence of substance use and perceptions of school culture. Participants for this exploratory aim include all students within participating schools (not just those with substance use infractions), assessed annually beginning Fall 2022. 2. Single arm pre/post change -- Evaluating change from session 1 to session 4 of iDECIDE in perceptions of harm from substance use, knowledge of drug effects, perceptions of a supportive school culture, plans to change substance use, and frequency of past 7-day substance use in all students who complete the iDECIDE curriculum. Investigators will also explore whether any change in these outcomes differ among historically underserved populations, including racial and gender minority students. Participants for this exploratory aim incIude all students who participate in the iDECIDE curriculum, regardless of the reason for referral into the program and the provision of parental consent for collection of data for primary aims. 3. Identification of implementation barriers -- Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of the iDECIDE curriculum by identifying multi-level barriers and facilitators to implementation using mixed methods. Participants for this exploratory aim include school stakeholders, interviewed right before and 6 months following iDECIDE implementation.

Conditions

• Adolescent Behavior
• Substance Use
• Youth
• Health Risk Behaviors

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	iDECIDE (Drug Education Curriculum: Intervention, Diversion, and Empowerment)	iDECIDE is a 4 session curriculum that addresses topics such as the neurobiology of substance use, adolescent brain development, industry tactics, motivations for using substances, risk and protective factors, triggers, healthy alternatives, core values, and long-term goal setting. These topics are taught via facilitated discussions, videos, worksheets, and handouts. Facilitators are selected by schools and community agencies to receive free trainings conducted by the iDECIDE team, which includes personnel from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Addiction Medicine, and the Institute for Health and Recovery.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-02-04
• Primary completion: 2023-09-14
• Completion: 2023-09-14
• First posted: 2022-04-11
• Last updated: 2024-12-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States