Working Papers
The power of positive attitudes: Student outcomes on a science education curriculum about drugs of abuse
Eric C. Twombly, Georgia State University, Kristen D. Holtz, KDHRC & Greta K. Tessman, Danya International
August 2007:
Working Paper 07-004
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Science literacy is critical for civil society, and attitudes toward science in school have been found to be strong predictors of achievement. Science literacy is of particular concern for the field of substance abuse research. This paper reports the results of an evaluation of a science education curriculum for late elementary school students on drugs of abuse and to explore the role that attitudes toward science and attitudes towards drugs played in predicting student outcomes. The main finding is that students with positive attitudes toward science before the implementation of the curriculum tend to show greater acquisition of knowledge. In contrast, students with negative or less protective attitudes toward drugs were found to show greater knowledge acquisition. This study suggests that the development of new pedagogical methods to improve science achievement by identifying and intervening with students who may have more negative attitudes toward science, prior to the implementation of core content, may have value.
Multimedia science education on drugs of abuse: A preliminary evaluation of effectiveness for adolescents
Eric C. Twombly, Georgia State University, Kristen D. Holtz, KDHRC & Greta K. Tessman, Danya International
August 2007:
Working Paper 07-003
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This paper reports on the development and evaluation of a science education-based multimedia prevention curriculum on drugs of abuse. The evaluation used a pretest/post-test quasi-experimental design in which sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students in the treatment group (N=611) were exposed to the curriculum and those in the control group (N=731) were not. Eight charter schools in four states participated.
Descriptive and multivariate approaches were used to analyze data from knowledge and attitude measures. The findings suggest that the multimedia approach significantly improved knowledge about drugs of abuse in the treatment group, providing preliminary support for the approach of using multimedia science education as a health education and prevention tool in schools.
Evaluation of a peer-focused intervention to increase knowledge and foster positive attitudes toward children with Tourette Syndrome
Kristen D. Holtz, KDHRC & Greta K. Tessman, Danya International
August 2007:
Working Paper 07-002
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This study examines the impact of a video-based intervention to increase children’s knowledge and positive attitudes toward a peer with Tourette Syndrome (TS). TS, a neurological disorder characterized by verbal and motor tics, is a confusing and potentially stigmatizing disorder. Although symptoms wax and wane over the life span, TS typically begins in childhood and peaks at puberty. The available literature suggests that individuals with TS are at risk for social rejection; because TS is primarily a childhood disorder, many of the social adjustment problems experienced by individuals with the disorder have their roots in negative childhood experiences in the classroom.
An intervention was developed and evaluated using a pretest, posttest control group study. Children exposed to the intervention video showed greater changes in knowledge, positive attitudes, and behavioral intentions than a control group. Such interventions may have potential to improve social outcomes for children with differences.
A preliminary evaluation of the effects of a science-education curriculum on changes in knowledge of drugs in youth
Kristen D. Holtz, KDHRC & Eric C. Twombly, Georgia State University
August 2007:
Working Paper 07-001
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Drug and alcohol use among youth remains at pervasively high levels, but students are receiving less school-based prevention. Infusing health information into core curricula may be a valuable prevention approach. Therefore, behavior change theory was used to develop a science education curriculum on drugs for fourth- and fifth-grade students, which was then evaluated using a pretest/posttest quasi-experimental design. Exposure to the curriculum was associated with a change in knowledge; other characteristics like grade level also played a role. More positive attitudes toward science at pretest predicted greater knowledge change, and students who knew less at the start showed a greater change in knowledge. Results of this evaluation may support the efficacy of the curriculum and the utility of combining behavior change theory with educational approaches.
The impact of peer education on classroom outcomes for children with Tourette Syndrome
Kristen D. Holtz, KDHRC & Sid J. Schneider, Westat
December 2006:
Working paper 06-002
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A peer-education videotape was developed for elementary school classes with a student with Tourette Syndrome, a chronic, frequently stigmatizing tic disorder. Triads consisting of a child with Tourette Syndrome, the child’s parent, and the child’s teacher were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group. The triads completed sets of instruments three times, over five weeks. Only the intervention group received the videotape, as part of a classroom presentation between the first and second data collection times. The results indicated that the triads in both groups perceived gradual improvements in the children’s social adjustment. The intervention and control groups, however, also differed in several respects. In the intervention group, the parents reported that their children acquired more friends following the classroom presentation. The children, however, reported having fewer friends at school, less athletic competence, and worse physical appearance. The implications of the results for peer-education interventions are discussed.
A multi-component intervention package to promote coping with painful procedures in young children: Results of an evaluation with health care providers and parents
Kristen D. Holtz, KDHRC & Amanda K. Ziegert, Danya International
December 2006:
Working paper 06-001
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A multi-component pain management package was designed to educate health care providers and parents about the use of behavioral pain management techniques during painful procedures. Following the training video, health care providers showed significant positive changes in their attitudes toward the use of these techniques with children, even in the absence of knowledge change. Parents responded positively toward a complementary pain management package. The results of the evaluation provide support for the efficacy of a multi-component pain management approach during painful pediatric procedures. The potential value of providing training to parents and providers using similar methods and language is discussed in terms of future research.