Transcript Slide 1

Youth
A Peer Group Approach to Building Life Skills
A
Peer
Group
Approach
to
Building
Life
Skills
Leona L. Eggert and Liela J. Nicholas, Developers
Leona L. Eggert and Liela J. Nicholas, Developers
Funded by the National Institutes of Health: NIDA, NIMH
and the Dept. of Education, Safe & Drug Free Schools
 RYTM Inc. Redmond, WA
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What is Indicated Prevention?
Three Types of Prevention Programs:
Universal
Selective
Indicated
Indicated
Serve
Everyone in
Population
Serve
High Risk
Groups
Serve
Target:
High Risk
High-Risk
Individuals
Individuals
Low Risk
High Risk
Potential high school
dropouts are a known
group of high-risk youth
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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What is RY?
RY is an ‘Indicated’
prevention program for
‘high risk students,’
who evidence risk factors
in four critical areas:
School
Peers
Personal
Family
 RYTM Inc. Redmond, WA
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RY Program Strategies
RY prevention program
strategies address the
risk factors in each of
the four key areas:
School
Personal
Peers
Family
 RYTM Inc. Redmond, WA
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School System Strategies
1. Setting norms for:  attendance,
 achievement,  drug use at
school and  mood management
2. Establishing an adult and peer
network of support for all
3. Fostering school bonding and
engagement in school activities
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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Personal Strategies
1. Skills Training
– setting goals, decision making
– giving and receiving feedback
– interpersonal skills
2. Self-monitoring
– school attendance, grades
– moods and drug use
3. School Engagement
– safe and drug-free social activities
– engaging in school activities
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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Peer Group Strategies
1. Norm setting in RY class to
commit to the program goals
2. A positive peer group;
giving each other
support and help
3. Group belonging in RY class
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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Family Strategies
1. Getting active parental
consent for student’s
enrollment in RY class
2. Parent support of RY goals
3. Enhancing RY teacher/
parent communication
4. Sending home positive
messages about RY student
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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RY Program Goals
1. Increase school performance
2. Decrease drug involvement
3. Decrease suicide risk behaviors
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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The RY Class
1. Meets daily – or on a block schedule
• for a full semester
• as part of the high school curriculum
• is taken for credit and graded
2. Taught by an RY Co. trained teacher who
excels in working with high-risk youth
3. Is limited to a 10 – 12 student class size
4. Focuses on skills training within the
context of adult and peer support
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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RY Curriculum Units
1.
2.
3.
4.
Getting Started ― First 10 Days
Self-Esteem Enhancement
Decision Making
Personal Control
5. Interpersonal Communication
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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RY Students
A search of the school’s roster using the researched criteria
below will create a list of at risk students.
Find students who:
 are behind in credits for grade level &
 are in the top 25th %-ile for absences &
 have a GPA < 2.3 or
a precipitous drop in grades, OR ...
 have a prior dropout status, or
 are referred by school personnel & meet
1 or more of the first three criteria
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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RY Components & Outcomes
Program Components
Mediators
RY Leader Support
RY Teacher
Peer
Group Support
Support
RY Skills Training
Monitoring
School Bonding
& Healthy
Social Activities
Increased
Personal
Competencies
and
Increased
Social Support
Resources
 RYTM Inc. Redmond, WA
Outcomes
Increased
School
Performance
Decreased
Drug
Involvement
Decreased
Suicide Risk
Behaviors
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Program Goal 1:
To Increase School Performance
O
U
T
C
O
M
E
S
Demonstrated results for RY include:
18%  in GPA in all classes
(6%  for controls)
7.5%  in number of credits earned
(24%  for controls)
Absences curbed (increased for controls)
14% lower dropout rate vs. controls
RY Leader support influenced increases,
whereas peer group support had no effect
 RYTM Inc. Redmond, WA
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Program Goal 2:
To Decrease Drug Involvement
O
U
T
C
O
M
E
S
Demonstrated results for RY include:
7%  in drug involvement
(14%  for controls)
50%  in hard drug use
(45%  for controls)
48%  in drug use control problems &
neg. consequences (3%  for controls)
Curbed progression of alcohol &
other drug use
RY Leader support influenced decreased
drug involvement
 RYTM Inc. Redmond, WA
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Program Goal 3:
To Decrease Suicide Risk Behaviors
O
U
T
C
O
M
E
S
Demonstrated results for RY include:
80% suicidal behaviors (80%for control
group who got same crisis help/support)
75% in depression & hopelessness
(24%  for controls)
48% in anger control problems
(3%  for controls)
38% perceived stress (10% for controls)
RY Leader & peer group support influenced
the above decreases by enhancing the
youths’ sense of personal control
 RYTM Inc. Redmond, WA
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Reconnecting Youth is an award-winning,
program with proven efficacy in helping highrisk youth achieve in school and decrease drug
use, anger, depression & suicidal behaviors.
SAMHSA awarded RY ‘Model Program’
status for drug abuse prevention.
The SPRC named RY a ‘promising
program’ for preventing youth suicidal
behaviors and many related risks.
DOE, the White House, NIDA, NIMH,
Prevention Strategies and others have
recognized RY as one of the U.S.’s top
10 research-based prevention efforts
with proven success.
 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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 RYTM Inc, Redmond, WA
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Together we can make a
difference by
reconnecting youth